As a noun, it is a tall, narrow building or part of a building that rises high above the ground. As a verb, it means to be much taller than the things around you.
It comes from Old English 'torr', from Latin 'turris' meaning 'tower'. The word has changed little in meaning over thousands of years.
Towers have always been symbols of power and watching—from castle watchtowers to modern cell towers watching our signals. When you say something 'towers over' something else, you’re tapping into this ancient image of height as dominance.
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