Idioms

an ivory tower

This page is about the idiom an ivory tower

Meaning

You can say someone's in an ivory tower if they're in a place that separates them from everyday life, such as a university.

For example

  • People often complain that academics stuck in their ivory towers don't really understand the problems of the average person.

  • Peter's dream is to get tenure in a university and spend the rest of his life hidden away in an ivory tower.

Quick Quiz

If Professor Jones didn't spend all his time in his ivory tower, he would

a. be much healthier than he is

b. make much more money

c. know what people were thinking
a) be much healthier than he is b) make much more money c) know what people were thinking
an ivory tower

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Common English Idioms

Contributor: Matt Errey