towering

[ tou-er-ing ]
/ ˈtaʊ ər ɪŋ /

adjective

very high or tall; lofty: a towering oak.
surpassing others; very great: a towering figure in American poetry.
rising to an extreme degree of violence or intensity: a towering rage.
beyond the proper or usual limits; inordinate; excessive: towering pride; towering ambitions.

Origin of towering

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at tower1, -ing2

OTHER WORDS FROM towering

tow·er·ing·ly, adverb

Definition for towering (2 of 2)

tower 1
[ tou-er ]
/ ˈtaʊ ər /

noun

verb (used without object)

Origin of tower

1
before 900; (noun) Middle English tour, earlier tur, tor < Old French < Latin turris < Greek týrris, variant of týrsis tower; Middle English tor perhaps in some cases continuing Old English torr < Latin turris, as above; (v.) late Middle English touren, derivative of the noun

OTHER WORDS FROM tower

tow·er·less, adjective tow·er·like, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for towering

British Dictionary definitions for towering (1 of 2)

towering
/ (ˈtaʊərɪŋ) /

adjective

very tall; lofty
outstanding, as in importance or stature
(prenominal) very intense a towering rage

Derived forms of towering

toweringly, adverb

British Dictionary definitions for towering (2 of 2)

tower
/ (ˈtaʊə) /

noun

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
a place of defence or retreat
a mobile structure used in medieval warfare to attack a castle, etc
tower of strength a person who gives support, comfort, etc

verb

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

Word Origin for tower

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

Idioms and Phrases with towering

tower