ivory tower
A sheltered, overly-academic existence or perspective, implying a disconnection or…A sheltered, overly-academic existence or perspective, implying a disconnection or lack of awareness of reality or practical considerations.
» Leave your ivory tower.
Meaning
1 senses(idiomatic)A sheltered, overly-academic existence or perspective, implying a disconnection or lack of awareness of reality or practical considerations.
Such a proposal looks fine from an ivory tower, but it could never work in real life.
Elfenbeinturm
ба́шня из слоно́вой ко́стиbášnja iz slonóvoj kósti
ве́жа із слоно́вої кі́сткиvéža iz slonóvoji kístky, вежа зі слонової кісткиveža zi slonovoji kistky
- a state of mind that is discussed as if it were a place
Examples
1 sentencesLeave your ivory tower.
Translations
9 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
Calque of French tour d'ivoire, based on a biblical phrase, coined by Charles Augustin SaiCalque of French tour d'ivoire, based on a biblical phrase, coined by Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve to compare the poet Alfred de Vigny (more isolated) with Victor Hugo (more socially engaged).
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: ivory towers| Singular | ivory tower |
|---|---|
| Plural | ivory towers |
regular