词源 |
towering rage, etc. Towering in all such phrases derives from a term in falconry. Castle watchtowers were the tallest struc- tures in the Middle Ages, so high-flying hawks were said “to tower.” Towering ambition is thus, ambition that is beyond ordi- nary bounds, as high as the towering of a hawk. Towering rage or passion could both be explained in the same way, rage or passion mounting to its highest point, but there is an added di- mension that strengthens the phrases. When a falcon “towers” she hovers at the height of her ascent searching for prey, is ready to swoop down on her victim. |