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 account of the tower that was built to reach heaven but ended in chaos when Jehovah confused the builders' speech: see Gen. 11)