a Babel of voices

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• babel — [[t]be͟ɪb(ə)l[/t]] N SING If there is a babel of voices, you hear a lot of people talking at the same time, so that you cannot understand what they are saying. The babel inside the bus was incredible. Syn: babble, hubbub …   English dictionary

• Babel — Ba bel, n. [Heb. B[=a]bel, the name of the capital of Babylonia; in Genesis associated with the idea of confusion. ] 1. The city and tower in the land of Shinar, where the confusion of languages took place. [1913 Webster] Therefore is the name of …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

• babel — ► NOUN ▪ a confused noise made by a number of voices. ORIGIN from the biblical Tower of Babel, where God confused the languages of the builders …   English terms dictionary

• Babel — Babel1 [bā′bəl, bab′əl] n. [Heb bavel < Akkadian bābilu, altered (by folk etym. assoc. with bāb, gate & ili god) < pre Akkadian city name babila, Babylon] 1. Bible a city in Shinar in which Noah s descendants tried to build a very high… …   English World dictionary

• Babel — n. 1 a confused noise, esp. of voices. 2 a noisy assembly. 3 a scene of confusion. Phrases and idioms: Tower of Babel a visionary or unrealistic plan. Etymology: ME f. Heb. Babel Babylon f. Akkad. bab ili gate of god (with ref. to the biblical… …   Useful english dictionary

• babel — n. 1 a confused noise, esp. of voices. 2 a noisy assembly. 3 a scene of confusion. Phrases and idioms: Tower of Babel a visionary or unrealistic plan. Etymology: ME f. Heb. Babel Babylon f. Akkad. bab ili gate of god (with ref. to the biblical… …   Useful english dictionary

• babel — ba|bel [ˈbeıbəl US ˈbeı , ˈbæ ] n [singular, U] [Date: 1500 1600; Origin: Tower of Babel, (in the Bible) tower in ancient Babylon whose builders made God angry, so he made them unable to understand each other s speech] the confusing sound of many …   Dictionary of contemporary English

• Babel — Babelic /bay bel ik, ba /, adj. /bay beuhl, bab euhl/, n. 1. an ancient city in the land of Shinar in which the building of a tower (Tower of Babel) intended to reach heaven was begun and the confusion of the language of the people took place.… …   Universalium

• babel — [ beɪb(ə)l] noun a confused noise made by a number of voices. Origin C16: from the Tower of Babel, where, according to the biblical story, God confused the languages of the builders …   English new terms dictionary

• babel — noun (singular, uncountable) the confusing sound of many voices talking together: a babel of French and Italian …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

• babel — UK [ˈbeɪb(ə)l] / US / US [ˈbæb(ə)l] noun [singular] formal the noise of a lot of voices all talking at the same time • Etymology: From the story in the Bible of the tower of Babel . When people tried to build this tower to reach heaven, God… …   English dictionary