tower

¹

[tou-er]

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.

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

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

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

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

7. 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.

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

tower

²

[toh-er]

noun

1. a person or thing that tows.

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

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

4. a person who gives support, comfort, etc

verb

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

Other Word Forms

• towerless adjective
• towerlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tower¹

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

Origin of tower²

First recorded in 1485–95; tow ¹ + -er ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of tower¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

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

More idioms and phrases containing tower

• ivory tower

Example Sentences

The fire ignited under a transmission tower just three minutes after a steel part known as a y-clevis broke on another tower more than two miles away, according to two government investigations into the fire.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Beneath the towering, neon-lit billboards of Times Square, six of the world's top long jumpers are soaring through the air, turning one of New York's most iconic streets into an unlikely athletics stage.

Read more on Barron's

Footage showed large numbers walking north up damaged narrow coastal roads towards the collapsed towers and ruined buildings of the territory's biggest city.

Read more on BBC

Engie has already sought permission to tear down the reactor’s cooling towers that loom over the city of Huy from the banks of the Meuse River.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The latest shortfall happened Wednesday afternoon when not enough workers showed up at Reagan Washington National Airport’s air-traffic control tower, prompting delays in the nation’s capital.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal