▪ I. towering, vbl. n.
(ˈtaʊərɪŋ)
[f. tower v. + -ing1.]
The action of the verb tower in various senses: spec. † a. The building of a tower. Obs. rare—0. b. Rising, soaring; raising. c. See quot. 1887 and tower n.1 8 b, v. 3 c. d. Photogr. See quot. 1891.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 498/2 Towrynge, turrificacio. 1646 J. Hall Poems (1906) 224 Ambition's towerings do some gallants keep From calmer sleep. 1750 Johnson Rambler No. 72 ¶5 The hearers either strain their faculties to accompany its towerings, or are left behind in envy and despair. 1887 Coues in Science X. 322 The convulsive muscular action which..results in the well-known ‘towering’ of hard-hit birds. 1891 Anthony's Photogr. Bull. IV. 38 How often is it that an otherwise good picture is spoiled by what we might call towering. The top of the building being much narrower than the bottom [etc.]. 1894 Yellow Bk. I. 66 Women..gave the best hours of the day to the towering of their coiffures. |
▪ II. ˈtowering, ppl. a.
[f. tower v. + -ing2.]
That towers, in various senses.
1. Rising to a height; standing high; lofty.
| 1638 Sir T. Herbert Trav. (ed. 2) 193 A spatious Garden, succinct with a great Towring wall of mud. 1697 Dryden Virg. Past. vii. 91 The towring Ash is fairest in the Woods. c 1743 Francis tr. Hor., Sec. Poem 46 The cypress, when by storms impell'd,..Low bends the towering head. 1793 Statist. Acc. Scotl. VII. 501 The hills are steep and towering. 1833 L. Ritchie Wand. by Loire 21 The girls..with their towering caps of the snowiest muslin. 1859 J. R. Green Lett. i. (1901) 33 My eye wanders..to the towering dome of the Radcliffe. |
b. Of lofty stature; very tall.
| 1756 Johnson K. of Prussia Wks. IV. 532 To review this towering regiment was his daily pleasure. 1835 Lytton Rienzi i. iii, The towering form of the smith. 1894 Hall Caine Manxman iii. xii, Kate saw him come, a towering dark figure between her and the door. |
2. Rising high in flight, as a bird, etc. Also fig.
| 1598 Meres Pallad. Tamia ii. 285 b, Yong Charles Fitz-Ieffrey, that high touring Falcon, hath..penned the honourable life and death of worthy sir Francis Drake. 1598 Drayton Heroic. Ep. xix. 179 Vnder thy towring blade haue coucht in fight. c 1673 Roxb. Ball. (1887) VI. 271 Where towering Larks do soar on high, In consort, making Melody. 1709 Prior To C. Montague vi, Our Hopes, like tow'ring Falcons, aim At Objects in an airy height. 1765 R. Jones Fireworks iv. 128 One rocket on the top of another. When..thus managed, they are called towering rockets. 1892 Greener Breech-Loader 228 If beaters or keepers are not occupied in picking up, and can look after wounded and towering birds. |
3. Rising to a height (fig.); exalted; aiming high; ambitious.
| 1663 Bp. Patrick Parab. Pilgr. v. (1687) 18 Others..teach me to fly aloft in towring speculations. 1702 Eng. Theophrast. 4 Nothing less than the writing of a Play can satisfie his towring Ambition. 1781 Cowper Charity 536 A bold remark, but which, if well applied, Would humble many a towering poet's pride. 1840 Thirlwall Greece VII. lvi. 179 A man..of towering ambition. 1894 J. Knight Garrick iv. 59 No man of towering ability was on the stage. |
4. Rising to a high pitch of violence or intensity.
| 1602 Shakes. Ham. v. ii. 80 The brauery of his griefe did put me Into a Towring passion. 1818 Scott Rob Roy xviii, I was in a towering passion. 1848 Dickens Dombey liv, The towering fury and intense abhorrence. 1877 Black Green Past. xxxiii, He came down in a towering rage. |
Hence ˈtoweringly adv., in a towering manner.
| 1822 E. Irving Let. in Oliphant Life (1862) I. vi. 135, I should rise toweringly aloft into the regions of a very noble and sublime character. 1830 Fraser's Mag. I. 38 Tall palm-trees, that on the plain stood toweringly. 1885 G. Meredith Diana of Crossways xiii, The Hercules of dogs..toweringly big. |