Definitions for: Stall


[n] a tactic used to mislead or delay
[n] small area set off by walls for special use
[n] small individual study area in a library
[n] a booth where articles are displayed for sale
[n] a compartment in a stable where a single animal is confined and fed
[n] a malfunction in the flight of an aircraft in which there is a sudden loss of lift that results in a downward plunge; "the plane went into a stall and I couldn't control it"
[v] deliberately delay an event or action; "she doesn't want to write the report, so she is stalling"
[v] postpone doing what one should be doing; "He did not want to write the letter and procrastinated for days"
[v] come to a stop; "The car stalled in the driveway"
[v] cause an engine to stop; "The inexperienced driver kept stalling the car"
[v] cause an airplane to go into a stall
[v] experience a stall in flight, of airplanes
[v] put into, or keep in, a stall



Webster (1913) Definition: Stall, n.
A covering or sheath, as of leather, horn, of iron, for a
finger or thumb; a cot; as, a thumb stall; a finger stall.


Stall, n. [OE. stal, AS. steall, stall, a place, seat,
or station, a stable; akin to D. & OHG. stal, G. & Sw. stall,
stallr, Dan. stald, originally, a standing place; akin to G.
selle a place, stellen to place, Gr. ? to set, place, send,
and E. stand. ? 163. See Stand, and cf. Apostle,
Epistle, Forestall, Install, Stale, a. & v. i., 1st
Stalk, Stallion, Still.]
1. A stand; a station; a fixed spot; hence, the stand or
place where a horse or an ox kept and fed; the division of
a stable, or the compartment, for one horse, ox, or other
animal. ``In an oxes stall.'' --Chaucer.

2. A stable; a place for cattle.

At last he found a stall where oxen stood. --Dryden.

3. A small apartment or shed in which merchandise is exposed
for sale; as, a butcher's stall; a bookstall.

4. A bench or table on which small articles of merchandise
are exposed for sale.

How peddlers' stalls with glittering toys are laid.
--Gay.

5. A seat in the choir of a church, for one of the
officiating clergy. It is inclosed, either wholly or
partially, at the back and sides. The stalls are
frequently very rich, with canopies and elaborate carving.

The dignifird clergy, out of humanility, have called
their thrones by the names of stalls. --Bp.
Warburton.

Loud the monks in their stalls. --Longfellow.

6. In the theater, a seat with arms or otherwise partly
inclosed, as distinguished from the benches, sofas, etc.

7. (Mining) The space left by excavation between pillars. See
Post and stall, under Post.

Stall reader, one who reads books at a stall where they are
exposed for sale.

Cries the stall reader, ``Bless us! what a word on A
titlepage is this!'' --Milton.


Stall, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stalled; p. pr. & vb. n.
Stalling.] [Cf. Sw. stalla, Dan. stalde.]
1. To put into a stall or stable; to keep in a stall or
stalls; as, to stall an ox.

Where King Latinus then his oxen stalled.

Dryden.

2. To fatten; as, to stall cattle. [Prov. Eng.]

3. To place in an office with the customary formalities; to
install. --Shak.

4. To plunge into mire or snow so as not to be able to get
on; to set; to fix; as, to stall a cart. --Burton.

His horses had been stalled in the snow. --E. E.
Hale.

5. To forestall; to anticipitate. Having

This not to be stall'd by my report. --Massinger.

6. To keep close; to keep secret. [Obs.]

Stall this in your bosom. --Shak.


Stall, v. i. [AS. steallian to have room. See Stall,
n.]
1. To live in, or as in, a stall; to dwell. [Obs.]

We could not stall together In the whole world.
--Shak.

2. To kennel, as dogs. --Johnson.

3. To be set, as in mire or snow; to stick fast.

4. To be tired of eating, as cattle. [Prov. Eng.]

Synonyms: booth, carrel, carrell, conk, cubicle, dillydally, dilly-dally, drag one's feet, kiosk, procrastinate, sales booth, shillyshally, stalling, stand

See Also: alcove, bay, call box, closet, coffee stall, compartment, confessional, delay, delay, depository library, detain, halt, hold up, horse barn, library, malfunction, newsstand, obstruction, phone booth, polling booth, prompt box, prompter's box, shelter, shower bath, shower stall, stable, stalls, stonewalling, stop, telephone booth, telephone box, telephone kiosk, tolbooth, tollbooth, tollhouse, voting booth

Try our:
Scrabble Word Finder

Scrabble Cheat

Words With Friends Cheat

Hanging With Friends Cheat

Scramble With Friends Cheat

Ruzzle Cheat



Related Resources:
animals starting with h
animals begin with w