Definitions for: Tall


[adj] lofty in style; "he engages in so much tall talk, one never really realizes what he is saying"
[adj] great in vertical dimension; high in stature; "tall people"; "tall buildings"; "tall trees"; "tall ships"



Webster (1913) Definition: Tall, a. [Compar. Taller; superl. Tallest.] [OE. tal
seemly, elegant, docile (?); of uncertain origin; cf. AS.
un-tala, un-tale, bad, Goth. untals indocile, disobedient,
uninstructed, or W. & Corn. tal high, Ir. talla meet, fit,
proper, just.]
1. High in stature; having a considerable, or an unusual,
extension upward; long and comparatively slender; having
the diameter or lateral extent small in proportion to the
height; as, a tall person, tree, or mast.

Two of far nobler shape, erect and tall. --Milton.

2. Brave; bold; courageous. [Obs.]

As tall a trencherman As e'er demolished a pye
fortification. --Massinger.

His companions, being almost in despair of victory,
were suddenly recomforted by Sir William Stanley,
which came to succors with three thousand tall men.
--Grafton.

3. Fine; splendid; excellent; also, extravagant; excessive.
[Obs. or Slang] --B. Jonson.

Syn: High; lofty.

Usage: Tall, High, Lofty. High is the generic term, and
is applied to anything which is elevated or raised
above another thing. Tall specifically describes that
which has a small diameter in proportion to its
height; hence, we speak of a tall man, a tall steeple,
a tall mast, etc., but not of a tall hill. Lofty has a
special reference to the expanse above us, and denotes
an imposing height; as, a lofty mountain; a lofty
room. Tall is now properly applied only to physical
objects; high and lofty have a moral acceptation; as,
high thought, purpose, etc.; lofty aspirations; a
lofty genius. Lofty is the stronger word, and is
usually coupled with the grand or admirable.

Synonyms: full-length, gangling, gangly, grandiloquent, in height(p), lanky, leggy, long, long-legged, long-shanked, magniloquent, rangy, rhetorical, stately, statuesque, tall-growing, tallish

Antonyms: short

See Also: big, high, large

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