man about town—(dated) a man who socializes in fashionable circles:
- A young man afraid of marriage may compensate by specializing in dating and courting, becoming a “man about town.”
Note: The expression is not equivalent in meaning to the phrase man of the town—(arch.) one belonging to the shady or “fast” side of town life; a rake, a debauchee:
- Several of our men of the town … make use of the most coarse uncivilized words in our language.
townman—(also: townsman)
1. an inhabitant of a town (as contrasted with a countryman):
- A townman would think the world slept, so great was the booming quietness.
2. a fellowinhabitant of a town:
- Mr. McClung continued to enjoy the confidence and esteem of his townmen and held public positions.