tower

Everyday

1. A tower is a tall, narrow building or part of a building, like a castle tower or a clock tower. tree →
2. A tower is a tall stack of things: a tower of blocks. tree →
3. To tower over something is to be much taller than it. tree →

In the lessons

Maths: heights; towers built from blocks, floors and steps: height of a stack = blocks × height of one block; comparing towers means add or subtract the difference. Engineering: building strong towers from straws or paper. Stories: Rapunzel in her tower; famous towers like the Eiffel Tower.

Examples

• The tower is 50 meters tall. tree →
• Tim built a tower of 12 blocks. tree →
• Each block is 3 cm high. tree →
• Her tower is 4 blocks taller than his. tree →
• Rapunzel let down her hair from the tower. tree →
• The castle has four towers. tree →
• The giraffe towered over the zebras. tree →
• Our team built the tallest tower out of paper cups. tree →
• So the King had a tower built on purpose. tree →

Note

Countable noun; regular verb. Height of a stack = blocks × height of one block. Comparing towers means add or subtract the difference. Trap: a tower of 12 blocks has 12 layers, not 11.

In Jewish tradition

Here it means the Tower of Babel, a great tall building made by people who wanted to reach heaven. Elsewhere towers are defences on city walls, and the prophets speak of proud lofty towers that God will bring low.

Interpretation. Tradition reads the tower as human pride and rebellion; God scattered the builders and gave them different languages. The psalmist tells people to count Zion's towers as a sign of her strength under God.

Examples

• And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. (Torah GEN.11.5, JPS 1917) tree →
• And they said: 'Come, let us build us a city, and a tower, with its top in heaven, and let us make us a name; lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.' (Torah GEN.11.4, JPS 1917) tree →
• Where is he that counted the towers?' (Prophets ISA.33.18, JPS 1917) tree →
• And upon every lofty tower, and upon every fortified wall; (Prophets ISA.2.15, JPS 1917) tree →
• Walk about Zion, and go round about her; count the towers thereof. (Writings PSA.48.13, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Countable noun; regular verb. Height of a stack = blocks × height of one block. Comparing towers means add or subtract the difference. Trap: a tower of 12 blocks has 12 layers, not 11.