tower — English Dictionary

Noun

1. A tall, narrow structure (significantly taller than it is wide, either standing alone or forming part of a larger structure.

   Examples

   an observation tower, an isolated watch tower, a church tower, conning tower

   The valley is closed in at the lower end by the village, the church tower and a few roofs being visible through the trees; […]

   More examples (2)

   […] an isolated watch-tower still stands above the highway as it passes around the lowest ridge extending from the castle. Called Burj al-Sabi ('Tower of the Youth'), it protected the access to the castle's port […]

   The clock tower above your apartment tolls, ringing twice. [...People] examine the bells with tuning fork and soundhorn, and scurry about with clipboard and blueprint, [but] they do not appear to be in the process of repairing or maintaining the bell-tower at all.

2. A tall, narrow structure (significantly taller than it is wide, either standing alone or forming part of a larger structure. A very tall open-framed structure on which communications devices are installed.

   Examples

   signal tower, radio tower, cell tower

3. A tall, narrow structure (significantly taller than it is wide, either standing alone or forming part of a larger structure. A similarly framed structure with a platform or enclosed area on top.

   Examples

   observation tower, watch tower

4. A tall, narrow structure (significantly taller than it is wide, either standing alone or forming part of a larger structure. A control tower.

5. A tall, narrow structure (significantly taller than it is wide, either standing alone or forming part of a larger structure. A skyscraper.

   Examples

   The Sears Tower

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   He'd taken her to see […] The Towering Inferno […] She imagined the screen itself must be hot as the burning San Francisco tower. […] She expected the screen to go up in a sheath of flame as the Glass Tower had, expected sparks to leap from the aluminum into the surrounding hayfields, […]

6. An item of various kinds, such as a computer case, that is higher than it is wide.

   Usage

   • Figurative

7. A strong refuge; a defence.

   Usage

   • Figurative

   Examples

   Thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.

   A group of giraffes is called a tower.

8. Each of a set of information technology concerns within a business, which are treated separately so that they can be handled by different providers.

   Examples

   More examples (2)

   Suppliers compete separately for the towers and service integrator and management contract, which assists the government in the integration and operation of its services.

   Service towers are significant IT functional areas, such as infrastructure, applications, security, etc., each possibly managed by a different service provider. The service integrator role is crucial for coordinating and integrating these service towers.

9. The sixteenth named (trump or Major Arcana) card in many Tarot decks, usually deemed an ill omen.

10. The nineteenth Lenormand card, representing structure, bureaucracy, stability and loneliness.

11. A group of giraffes.

    Usage

    • collective

    Examples

    Observe a tower of giraffes feeding on acacia leaves and oxpeckers combing giraffes' coats for parasites

    A tower of giraffes at the Houston Zoo.

    More examples (1)

    Towers of giraffes will walk nine miles or more every day to find all the food they need to eat.

12. A metal stand used as a pivot to support a punty at a furnace.

13. A tall fashionable headdress worn in the time of King William III and Queen Anne.

    Usage

    • Historical

    Examples

    Lay trains of amorous intrigues / In towers, and curls, and periwigs.

14. High flight; elevation.

    Usage

    • Obsolete

    Examples

    Nigh in her sight The Bird of Jove, stoopt from his aerie tour, Two Birds of gayest plume before him drove.

Verb

1. To be very tall; to reach a high height.

   Usage

   • Intransitive

   Examples

   The office block towered into the sky.

   The tree will eventually tower taller than any of the others.

   More examples (3)

   Potentilla and Ivory Daphne sat humpily about on the unfolded lawns, and ahead, there towered out enormous cliffs and fantastic pinnacles of what looked like Dolomite.

   This is itself a cheerless spot, particularly on a rainy day, when, overshadowed by the great massif of rock that towers in the background, and surrounded by the grey and cheerless quarries, it has a depressing character much in contrast with the green verdure encountered on the northern end of this interesting branch line.

   Think of banking today and the image is of grey-suited men in towering skyscrapers.

2. To be high or lofty; to soar.

   Usage

   • Intransitive

   Examples

   My lord protector's hawks do tower so well.

   When Hope, the eagle that tower’d, could see No cliff beyond him in the sky, His pinions were bent droopingly — And homeward turn’d his soften’d eye.

   More examples (2)

   As we breasted the first summit, the precipitous mass of the Raven's Rock, towering some 250 ft. above the railway, looked grim and forbidding in the failing light, and distant Ben Wyves was shrouded in mist.

   To the left towers the Jungfrau, with the train heading directly towards it.

3. To soar into.

   Usage

   • Obsolete
   • Transitive

   Examples

   Her state with oary feet; yet oft they quit The dank, and, rising on stiff pennons, tower The mid aerial sky

Noun

1. One who tows.

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   But as the tower and towee reached the cross-roads again, another car, negligently driven, came round the corner, hit the Morris, and severed the tow rope, sending the unfortunate car back again into the shop window[…]

1. a structure taller than its diameter; can stand alone or be attached to a larger building

   Broader terms

   structureconstruction

2. anything that approximates the shape of a column or tower

   Synonyms

   columnpillar

   Broader terms

   shapeform

   Examples

   the test tube held a column of white powder

   a tower of dust rose above the horizon

   More examples (1)

   a thin pillar of smoke betrayed their campsite

1. a powerful small boat designed to pull or push larger ships

   Synonyms

   tugboattugtowboat

   Broader terms

   boat

Verb

1. appear very large or occupy a commanding position

   Synonyms

   loompredominatehulk

   Broader terms

   riseliftrear

   Examples

   The huge sculpture predominates over the fountain

   Large shadows loomed on the canyon wall