town n. 镇 １在美国的新英格兰诸州，镇是地方政府的基本单位。新英格兰镇政府的独特之处在于有镇民会议〔town meeting〕，它被誉为近乎纯粹的民主形式。每年一次的选举人会议选出镇官员，并决定诸如镇税收等地方问题。在美国的其他地方，「镇」一词几乎没有政治作用，它仅指联合成为镇的地方或人口密集区。不过，县区〔township〕却有法律意义，它是县〔county〕的地方单位。除中部滨大西洋诸州〔Middle Atlantic States〕外，县区很少作为地方政府单位；２指(曾)设有教堂、宗教庆典、圣事和墓地的居民集居区。堂区自身依决议可享有镇的地位。 (→township)
town. 1. A center of population that is larger and more fully developed than a village, but that (traditionally speaking) is not incorporated as a city. [Cases: Towns 1. C.J.S. Towns §§ 2–5.] 2. The territory within which this population lives. 3. Collectively, the people who live within this territory. Cf. CITY. “A town is