Babel, Tower of
[ (bay-buhl, bab-uhl) ]
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In the Book of Genesis, a tower that the descendants of Noah built. They intended that the tower would reach up to heaven itself, increase their reputation, and make them like God. God prevented them from completing the tower by confusing their language so that they could no longer understand one another's speech. From that time forward, according to the Bible (see also Bible), the peoples of the Earth would be scattered, speaking different languages.
QUIZ
THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
Question 1 of 7
In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…
notes for Babel, Tower of
“Babel” is confusion and noise.
Words nearby Babel, Tower of
Babel, Babelism, Babelize, Babelized, Bab el Mandeb, Babel, Tower of, Baber, babesia, babesiosis, Babette, Babeuf
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.