Definition

Proper noun: A historic castle and fortress located in central London, England, on the north bank of the River Thames. It is officially known as 'Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London'. Historically, it has served as a royal residence, an armory, a treasury, a public records office, and a state prison. It is now a major tourist attraction and museum, housing, among other things, the British Crown Jewels.

Usage Examples

• As a subject:
• As an object:
• With a preposition:

Advanced Usage

• "The Tower": Often used as a shortened, colloquial form, especially in a historical or local context.
  • Many prisoners were executed at the Tower.
• Used metonymically to refer to the institution or authority historically associated with the fortress.
  • Sent to the Tower for treason.

Variants and Related Words

• The Tower (n): A common abbreviated name for the Tower of London.
• White Tower (n): The central keep, the oldest part of the Tower of London fortress, built by William the Conqueror.
• Beefeater (n): Informal name for a Yeoman Warder, a ceremonial guardian of the Tower of London.
• Crown Jewels (n): The regalia and vestments worn by the sovereign of the United Kingdom during state occasions, housed at the Tower of London.

Synonyms

• Fortress
• Castle
• Stronghold (These are general synonyms for the type of structure, not proper names for the specific site.)

Related Phrases and Idioms

• Sent to the Tower: An idiom meaning to be imprisoned, derived from the Tower's history as a state prison for high-profile inmates.
  • In Tudor times, you could be sent to the Tower for displeasing the king.

Noun

1. a fortress in London on the Thames; used as a palace and a state prison and now as a museum containing the crown jewels