[a. Heb. bābel, Babylon; associated in Genesis with the idea of ‘confusion,’ but not referable to any known Semitic root; according to Prof. Sayce, for Assyrian bāb-ilu gate of God, or bāb-ili gate of the gods, the Assyrian rendering of the Accadian Ca-dimíra (see Trans. Soc. Bibl. Archæology, I. 298, 309).]
1. The city and tower, of which the attempted construction is described in Genesis ix., where the confusion of languages is said to have taken place; hence a. a lofty structure; b. a visionary scheme.
1382. Wyclif, Gen. xi. 9. Therfor was callid the name of it Babel, for there was confoundid the lippe of all the erthe.
1667. Milton, P. L., III. 468. And still with vain designe New Babels, had they wherewithall, would build.
1703. Maundrell, Journ. Jerus. (1721), 16. What remains of this mighty Babel … is no more than twenty Foot high.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 167, ¶ 3. The fond Builder of Babels.
1847. Tennyson, Princess, IV. 59. Let be Their cancell’d Babels.
2. A scene of confusion; a confused assemblage.
1625. Fletcher, Nt. Walker, II. (T.). All the chambers Are a meere babell, or another bedlam.
1703. Maundrell, Journ. Jerus. (1721), 48. A mere Babel of broken Walls.
1731. Swift, Repeal Test Act, in Misc. (1742), VI. 286 (T.). The whole Babel of Sectaries joined against the Church, the King, and the Nobility for twenty Years.
1860. G. Morris, Poems, 173. We are only two, dear brother, in this babel wide!
3. A confused turbulent medley of sounds.
a. 1529. Skelton, El. Rummyng, 387. A clatterynge and a babell Of folys fylly.
1863. Kingsley, Water Bab., i. 32. Such a noise, row, hubbub, babel, shindy, hullabaloo.
1884. Manch. Exam., 16 Sept., 4/7. This confused and confusing babel of … idle objurgations.
4. Comb., mostly attrib., in which babel approaches the character of an adj. (= ‘confused, turbulent,’ or ‘lofty, huge’), as in babel-confusion, -sea, -sound, -tower; also babel-builder; babel-scheme, a visionary project.
c. 1746. Hervey, Medit. (1818), 39. God from on high laughs at the *Babel-builder.
1653. Baxter, Chr. Concord, 101. Sion is not built by the *Babel-confusions.
1729. Savage, Wanderer, V. 124 (D.). The Traytors rear their *Babel Schemes.
1853. Kingsley, Hypatia, v. (1879), 67. The *Babel sea which weltered up and down every street.
1816. Southey, Poet’s Pilgr., I. Wks. X. 20. All disregardant of the *Babel sound.
1848. Dickens, Dombey (1870), I. vi. 99. *Babel towers of chimneys.
