stall

stall¹ Definition

stall (stôl)

noun

1. Obsolete a stable
2. a compartment for one animal in a stable
any of various compartments, booths, separate sections, etc.; specif.,
1. a booth, table, or counter, as at a market or fair, at which goods are sold
2. a pew or enclosed seat in the main part of a church or in the choir
3. a small, enclosed space, as a compartment in which one showers
4. ☆ any of the spaces marked off, as in a garage, for parking individual automobiles
Brit.
1. an orchestra seat in a theater, esp. one in the front part
2. orchestra (sense ); also, the people sitting in these seats
a protective sheath, as of rubber, for a finger or thumb; cot
the condition of being brought to a stop or standstill, as through some malfunction
Aeron. a condition in which an improper angle of attack and a lack of airspeed combine to disrupt the airflow around an airfoil enough to result in a loss of lift which forces the aircraft to drop, possibly going out of control

Etymology: ME stal < OE steall, place, station, stall, stable, akin to OHG stal < IE base *stel-, to place, set up, stiff, stem > still

transitive verb, intransitive verb

Etymology: ME stallen < the n. & < OFr estaler < Gmc, as in OHG stal

stall² Definition

stall (stôl)

intransitive verb

to act or speak evasively or hesitantly so as to deceive or delay to stall for time

Etymology: < stall, decoy, var. of obs. stale, one who lures < Anglo-Fr estale < OFr estaler: see stall,

transitive verb

to put off or delay by stalling: usually with off to stall off creditors

noun

any action, device, etc. used to deceive or delay; evasive trick

stall Synonyms

To break down
not start, not turn over, stop working, conk out*, go dead*; see also break down 3.
To delay
postpone, hamper, hinder; see delay 1.

stall Usage Examples

Object

tactic: Mrs Litchfield was reportedly acting under advice from Conservative Central Office and was accused of using a stalling tactic.

Converse of object

sow: Footage of pregnant sows reveals what was once a shed full of sow stalls.
carve: The carved oak choir stalls were placed in 1908 for £ 75.
decorate: The markets create a Yuletide Paradise, with wonderfully decorated stalls selling all manner of festive fayre.
shower: Ground floor: Double bedroom and en-suite bathroom with bath and shower stall, doors to the terrace.

Adjective modifier

makeshift: Dominican traders with makeshift market stalls try to scrape a living by selling goods on the border.
open-air: Praia dâOura is great for shopping, with plenty of open-air stalls and street vendors for gifts and souvenirs.
longitudinal: Carpetted central aisle with longitudinal choir stalls on raised planked floors.
second-hand: He buys some 1940's clothes from a second-hand stall.

Modifies a noun

holder: Some budding stall holders could be heard driving a hard bargains for their wears.
selling: There was a winding cobbled street ahead of us, and a stall selling oranges.

Noun used with modifier

choir: The carved oak choir stalls were placed in 1908 for £ 75.
tombola: There will also be a tombola stall; donations of prizes will be most welcome.
merchandise: The merchandise stall, for instance, is looking threadbare.
bric-a-brac: Join us not only for coffee and a chat but also to look at the cake, book and bric-a-brac stalls.
cake: The Marple Methodist Ladies Association ran a cake stall, the proceeds of which were donated to the ` Friends of NH ` .
craft: Then we were shown to a craft stall where a lady showed us how to design original cards.

Possessives

butcher: Butchers ' stalls were set up in High Street and Butchers Row ( now Queen Street ).

Preposition: in

foyer: On each day of the campaign there will be a stall in the foyer with information about different types of disability.
chancel: Another of the most striking features of the kirk is the double row of dark carved stalls in the chancel.

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