stall Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a compartment in a stable where a single animal is confined and fed
  2. noun small area set off by walls for special use
    kiosk; cubicle; booth.
  3. noun a booth where articles are displayed for sale
    stand; sales booth.
  4. noun 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
  5. noun seating in the forward part of the main level of a theater
  6. noun small individual study area in a library
    carrel; cubicle; carrell.
  7. noun a tactic used to mislead or delay
    stalling.
  8. verb postpone doing what one should be doing
    dillydally; dilly-dally; drag one's heels; procrastinate; shillyshally; drag one's feet.
    • He did not want to write the letter and procrastinated for days
  9. verb come to a stop
    conk.
    • The car stalled in the driveway
  10. verb deliberately delay an event or action
    • she doesn't want to write the report, so she is stalling
  11. verb put into, or keep in, a stall
    • Stall the horse
  12. verb experience a stall in flight, of airplanes
  13. verb cause an airplane to go into a stall
  14. verb cause an engine to stop
    • The inexperienced driver kept stalling the car

WordNet

Stall noun
Etymology
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.
Definitions
  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.
    Cries the stall reader, "Bless us! what a word on A titlepage is this!" Milton.
Stall transitive verb
Etymology
Cf. Sw. stalla, Dan. stalde.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Stalled ; present participle & verbal noun Stalling
Definitions
  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 intransitive verb
Etymology
AS. steallian to have room. See Stall, n.
Definitions
  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.

Webster 1913