big ben

Thân thiện

Big Ben stands tall above the Houses of Parliament in London.

Definition

Proper noun: 1. The Great Bell: The primary, deep-toned bell housed within the Elizabeth Tower at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London. 2. The Clock Tower (common metonymy): By common usage, the name often refers to the entire Elizabeth Tower (formerly known as the Clock Tower) and its iconic four-faced clock, which is a major landmark of London.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun (referring to the bell):
  • The sound of Big Ben chiming is broadcast by the BBC.
  • The original Big Ben bell cracked shortly after it was installed.
• Proper noun (referring to the tower/clock):
  • The photograph shows the London Eye with Big Ben in the background.
  • We could see Big Ben from our hotel window.

Advanced Usage

• Cultural Symbol: "Big Ben" is frequently used as a symbol to represent London or the British government.
  • The news report from Parliament was introduced with an image of Big Ben.
• Personification: The bell/tower is often personified in literature and speech.
  • Big Ben struck midnight, marking the new year.

Variants and Related Words

• Elizabeth Tower: The official name of the tower that houses Big Ben, renamed in 2012.
• Westminster Clock Tower: A former name for the Elizabeth Tower.
• The Great Clock of Westminster: The official name for the clock mechanism itself.

Synonyms

• Landmark: A prominent identifying feature of a landscape (e.g., ).
• Icon: A person or thing regarded as a representative symbol (e.g., ).

Related Phrases

• To chime like Big Ben: To make a loud, deep, resonant sound, often on the hour.
  • The old church bell chimed like Big Ben.
• As reliable as Big Ben: Used to describe something extremely punctual or dependable.
  • Her daily routine is as reliable as Big Ben.

Học thuật

Noun

1. clock in the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament, London

Từ đồng nghĩa

• big ben