tower

1
[ tou-er ]
See synonyms for tower on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a building or structure high in proportion to its lateral dimensions, either isolated or forming part of a building.

  2. such a structure used as or intended for a stronghold, fortress, prison, etc.

  1. any of various fully enclosed fireproof housings for vertical communications, as staircases, between the stories of a building.

  2. any structure, contrivance, or object that resembles or suggests a tower.

  3. a tall, movable structure used in ancient and medieval warfare in storming a fortified place.

  4. Computers. a tall, vertical case with accessible horizontal drive bays, designed to house a computer system standing on a desk or floor.: Compare minitower.

  5. Aviation. control tower.

verb (used without object)
  1. to rise or extend far upward, as a tower; reach or stand high: The skyscraper towers above the city.

  2. to rise above or surpass others: She towers above the other students.

  1. Falconry. (of a hawk) to rise straight into the air; to ring up.

Idioms about tower

  1. tower of strength, a person who can be relied on for support, aid, or comfort, especially in times of difficulty.

Origin of tower

1
First recorded before 900; Middle English noun tour, earlier tur, tor, from Old French tur, tor, from Latin turris, from Greek týrris, variant of týrsis “tower”; Middle English tor perhaps continuing Old English torr, from Latin turris, as above

Other words from tower

  • tow·er·less, adjective
  • tow·er·like, adjective

Other definitions for tower (2 of 2)

tower2
[ toh-er ]

noun
  1. a person or thing that tows.

Origin of tower

2
First recorded in 1485–95; tow1 + -er1

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use tower in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tower

tower

/ (ˈtaʊə) /


noun
  1. a tall, usually square or circular structure, sometimes part of a larger building and usually built for a specific purpose: a church tower; a control tower

  2. a place of defence or retreat

  1. a mobile structure used in medieval warfare to attack a castle, etc

  2. tower of strength a person who gives support, comfort, etc

verb
  1. (intr) to be or rise like a tower; loom

Origin of tower

1
C12: from Old French tur, from Latin turris, from Greek

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with tower

tower

In addition to the idiom beginning with tower

  • tower of strength

also see:

  • ivory tower

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.