[f. TOUR sb.]
† 1. intr. To ‘take a turn’ in or about a place, esp. riding or driving. Obs.
1746. Mrs. Delany, in Life & Corr. (1861), II. 443. The coach is ready for D. D. and me to tour in the park, and to see my lord’s improvements. Ibid. (1760), III. 619. The Duchess has carried us to tour about the park and to see her hot-house.
b. To tum, direct one’s steps. dial.
1768. Ross, Helenore, I. 33. Aff I scours Blessing my lucky stars, an’ hame I tours.
2. intr. To make a tour or circuitous journey, in which many places are visited, usually without retracing one’s steps; to make a prolonged excursion for recreation or business; spec. of an actor, a theatrical company, or the like: to go ‘on tour,’ to travel from town to town fulfilling engagements.
1789. A. C. Bower, Diaries & Corr. (1903), 97. We are all got thus far touring for Health.
1799. Coleridge, Lett., to T. Poole (1895), 306. The man who toured with me in Wales and afterwards published his ‘Tour.’
1858. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., X. vii. (1872), III. 276. Algarotti … has been touring about as a celebrity these four years past.
1886. Cyclist’s Tour. Club Gaz., IV. 126. A word of advice to those about to tour at Easter.
1897. Literature, 13 Nov., 123/2. [He] has made up his mind to take up once again lecturing work, and he will tour in several of the large American towns.
1907. H. Wyndham, Flare of Footlights, xii. Godfrey Deane has decided not to tour … so I shall ask Antony for the part.
3. trans. To make the tour or round of, to tour in (a country or district).
1885. J. Coleman, in Longm. Mag., VII. 67. Barrett organised a company with which … he toured the provinces.
1887. Bicycling News, 8 Oct., 3/2. He landed at Melbourne, and toured the colonies with great success.
1898. Westm. Gaz., 25 Jan., 5/3. Mr. R. is this week touring his constituency. Ibid. (1899), 2 Feb., 9/1. To tour India … with an English amateur cricket team.
b. To cover (a distance) in touring.
1891. in Pall Mall Gaz., 12 Feb., 1/2. One good performance on the path does more to arouse attention than 20,000 miles quietly toured.
4. spec. (Theatr.) To take (a play or entertainment) on tour; to tour with.
1897. Westm. Gaz., 22 May, 8/1. ‘The County Fair,’ the American drama … now being toured in the provinces by Mr. Neil Burgess’s Company. Ibid. (1904), 12 Feb., 5/2. It is the intention of the lecturer to tour his illustrated entertainment in the provinces.
1910. Stage Year Bk., 52. This production [Peter Pan] was magnificently staged in Sydney, but the business was poor, and it was never toured.
¶ Touring in Capt. Smith, Virginia (1624), VI. New Eng., 212 is an error for turning in the earlier Descr. New Eng. (1616), 17.
Hence Touring ppl. a., that tours.
1870. Athenæum, 15 Oct., 506. A touring troupe of singers from this country.
1883. Pall Mall Gaz., 27 Oct., 4/1. Town-abiding and touring Americans.
1888. J. Pennell, ibid., 25 Oct., 5. From the standpoint of a touring cycler.
