Tour, n.
Etymology: [F. tour. See Turn, v. t.]
1. A going round; a circuit; hence, a journey in a circuit; a prolonged circuitous journey; a comprehensive excursion; as, the tour of Europe; the tour of France or England. The bird of Jove stooped from his airy tour. Milton.
2. A turn; a revolution; as, the tours of the heavenly bodies. [Obs.] Blackmore.
3. (Mil.)
anything done successively, or by regular order; a turn; as, a tour of duty.
1 more senses
Syn. -- Journey; excursion. See Journey.
2 other Webster entries under this spelling
Tour, n.
A tower. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Tour, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Toured; p. pr. & vb. n. Touring.]
To make a tourm; as, to tour throught a country. T. Hughes.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for tour; he lists it under journey.
Where he writes about it:
A tour is a journey that returns to the starting-point, generally over a considerable distance; as, a bridal tour, or business tour. — from journey
An excursion is a brief tour or journey, taken for pleasure, often by many persons at once; as, an excursion to Chautauqua. — from journey
Antonyms
none given