Big Ben
English edit
Etymology edit
Disputed, possibly after Sir Benjamin Hall, who oversaw the installation of the Great Bell, or after English boxer Ben Caunt.
Proper noun edit
- The hour bell in the Elizabeth Tower (formerly known as the Clock Tower), adjacent to the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London, United Kingdom.
- (by metonymy) The clock tower itself.
- 2015, Dorothea Benton Frank, Carolina Girls:
- He pulled up his sleeve and there on his scrawny arm hung a Rolex the size of Big Ben.
Usage notes edit
- The name Big Ben officially refers to the bell, but is almost invariably used to refer to the London landmark itself. The landmark is officially called Elizabeth Tower.
Synonyms edit
- (clock): Great Clock
Translations edit
the hour bell in London
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Anagrams edit
German edit
Etymology edit
Borrowed from English Big Ben.
Proper noun edit
Portuguese edit
Etymology edit
Unadapted borrowing from English Big Ben.
Proper noun edit
- Big Ben (the hour bell in London)
Spanish edit
Etymology edit
Borrowed from English Big Ben.
Pronunciation edit
Proper noun edit
Big Ben m
- Big Ben (the hour bell in London)
- (by extension) Big Ben (the clocktower itself)