stall1

[stawl] /stɔl/
noun
1.
a compartment in a stable or shed for the accommodation of one animal.
2.
a stable or shed for horses or cattle.
3.
a booth or stand in which merchandise is displayed for sale, or in which some business is carried on (sometimes used in combination):
a butcher's stall; a bookstall.
4.
carrel (def 1).
5.
one of a number of fixed enclosed seats in the choir or chancel of a church for the use of the clergy.
6.
a pew.
7.
any small compartment or booth for a specific activity or housing a specific thing:
a shower stall.
8.
a rectangular space marked off or reserved for parking a car or other vehicle, as in a parking lot.
9.
an instance or the condition of causing an engine, or a vehicle powered by an engine, to stop, especially by supplying it with a poor fuel mixture or by overloading it.
10.
Aeronautics. an instance or the condition of causing an airplane to fly at an angle of attack greater than the angle of maximum lift, causing loss of control and a downward spin.
Compare critical angle (def 2).
11.
a protective covering for a finger or toe, as various guards and sheaths or one finger of a glove.
12.
British. a chairlike seat in a theater, separated from others by arms or rails, especially one in the front section of the parquet.
verb (used with object)
13.
to assign to, put, or keep in a stall or stalls, as an animal or a car.
14.
to confine in a stall for fattening, as cattle.
15.
to cause (a motor or the vehicle it powers) to stop, especially by supplying it with a poor fuel mixture or overloading it.
16.
Aeronautics.
  1. to put (an airplane) into a stall.
  2. to lose control of or crash (an airplane) from so doing.
17.
to bring to a standstill; check the progress or motion of, especially unintentionally.
18.
to cause to stick fast, as in mire or snow.
verb (used without object)
19.
(of an engine, car, airplane, etc.) to be stalled or go through the process of stalling (sometimes followed by out).
20.
to come to a standstill; be brought to a stop.
21.
to stick fast, as in mire.
22.
to occupy a stall, as an animal.
Origin
before 900; Middle English; Old English steall; cognate with German Stall, Old Norse stallr; akin to Old English stellan, German stellen to put, place
Related forms
stall-like, adjective

stall2

[stawl] /stɔl/
verb (used without object)
1.
to delay, especially by evasion or deception.
2.
Sports. to prolong holding the ball as a tactic to prevent the opponent from scoring, as when one's team has the lead.
Compare freeze (def 31).
verb (used with object)
3.
to delay or put off, especially by evasion or deception (often followed by off):
He stalled the police for 15 minutes so his accomplice could get away.
noun
4.
a pretext, as a ruse, trick, or the like, used to delay or deceive.
5.
Underworld Slang. the member of a pickpocket's team who distracts the victim long enough for the theft to take place.
6.
Sports. slowdown (def 3).
Origin
1490-1500; earlier stale decoy bird (> Anglo-French estale decoy pigeon), Old English stæl- decoy (in stælhrān decoy reindeer); akin to stall1
Examples from the web for stall
  • Flying too close to the stall speed is only half the problem.
  • Your dog has an affinity for licking the shower stall.
  • But several barriers are likely to stall the process.
  • Early but intriguing research on mice suggests a new mechanism of aging, and possibly a way to stall it.
  • My contractor installed the wrong color wall tile in the shower stall of one of the bathrooms.
  • Even the plainclothes police keeping an eye on things from the tea stall across the street look more alert.
  • We've also included double pen stall on the left sleeve.
  • Hot air rises, vents out the top of the shower stall and sucks cooler air in from the bottom.
  • They made a few unusual maneuvers while they were up there, including flying sideways and inducing stall warnings.
  • Finally, insurers should stall for much longer before they pay claims.
British Dictionary definitions for stall

stall1

/stɔːl/
noun
1.
  1. a compartment in a stable or shed for confining or feeding a single animal
  2. another name for stable1 (sense 1)
2.
a small often temporary stand or booth for the display and sale of goods
3.
(in a church)
  1. one of a row of seats, usually divided from the others by armrests or a small screen, for the use of the choir or clergy
  2. a pen
4.
an instance of an engine stalling
5.
a condition of an aircraft in flight in which a reduction in speed or an increase in the aircraft's angle of attack causes a sudden loss of lift resulting in a downward plunge
6.
any small room or compartment
7.
(Brit)
  1. a seat in a theatre or cinema that resembles a chair, usually fixed to the floor
  2. (pl) the area of seats on the ground floor of a theatre or cinema nearest to the stage or screen
8.
a tubelike covering for a finger, as in a glove
9.
(pl) short for starting stalls
10.
(Brit) set out one's stall, to make the necessary arrangements for the achievement of something and show that one is determined to achieve it
verb
11.
to cause (a motor vehicle or its engine) to stop, usually by incorrect use of the clutch or incorrect adjustment of the fuel mixture, or (of an engine or motor vehicle) to stop, usually for these reasons
12.
to cause (an aircraft) to go into a stall or (of an aircraft) to go into a stall
13.
to stick or cause to stick fast, as in mud or snow
14.
(transitive) to confine (an animal) in a stall
Word Origin
Old English steall a place for standing; related to Old High German stall, and stellen to set

stall2

/stɔːl/
verb
1.
to employ delaying tactics towards (someone); be evasive
2.
(intransitive) (sport, mainly US) to play or fight below one's best in order to deceive
noun
3.
an evasive move; pretext
Word Origin
C16: from Anglo-French estale bird used as a decoy, influenced by stall1
Word Origin and History for stall
n.

"place in a stable for animals," Old English steall "place where cattle are kept, place, position," from Proto-Germanic *stallaz (cf. Old Norse stallr "pedestal for idols, altar," Old Frisian stal, Old High German stall "stand, place, stable, stall," German Stall "stable," Stelle "place"), earlier *stalnaz- or *stathlo-, from PIE root *stel- "to put, stand," with derivatives referring to a standing object or place (cf. Greek stele "standing block, slab," Latin stolidus "insensible, dull, brutish," properly "unmovable").

The word passed into Romanic languages (cf. Italian stallo "place," stalla "stable;" Old French estal "place, position, stand, stall," French étal "butcher's stall"). Several meanings, including that of "a stand for selling" (mid-13c., implied in stallage "tax levied for the privilege of erecting a stall at a market or fair"), are from (or influenced by) Old French estal. Meaning "partially enclosed seat in a choir" is attested from c.1400; that of "urinal in a men's room" is from 1967.

"pretense to avoid doing something," variant of stale "bird used as a decoy to lure other birds" (mid-15c.), from Anglo-French estale "decoy, pigeon used to lure a hawk" (13c., cf. stool pigeon), literally "standstill," from Old French estal "place, stand, stall," from Frankish *stal- "position," cognate with Old English steall (see stall (n.1)).

Cf. Old English stælhran "decoy reindeer," German stellvogel "decoy bird." Figurative sense of "deception, means of allurement" is first recorded 1520s. Meaning "evasive trick or story, pretext, excuse" first recorded 1812 (see stall (v.)); sense entwined with that of "thief's assistant" (1590s).

The stallers up are gratified with such part of the gains acquired as the liberality of the knuckling gentlemen may prompt them to bestow. [J.H. Vaux, "Flash Dictionary," 1812]

v.

1590s, "to screen a pickpocket from observation," from stall (n.2) "decoy." Meaning "to precaricate, be evasive, play for time" is attested from 1903. Of engines or engine-powered vehicles, it is attested from 1904 (transitive), 1914 (intransitive), from earlier sense of "to become stuck, come to a standstill" (c.1400), which is directly from Old French estale or Old English steall (see stall (n.1)). Related: Stalled; stalling.

Slang definitions & phrases for stall

stall 1

noun
  1. A pretext or excuse for delaying; a reason for inaction: His claim of illness is only a stall (1889+)
  2. A pretense or false indication, esp as part of a criminal alibi: ''I'd take meals up to him. I think that was just a stall'' ''You mean the meals were for someone else?'' (1851+)
verb
  1. To delay; temporize; consume time and delay action; buy time: I told him to quit stalling and give us a decision (1903+)
  2. (also stall off) To subject someone to delay; make excuses for inaction: You stall her while I try to find her original letter (1906+)

[fr Old English steall, ''standing, state, place, animal stall,'' whence the notion of stubbornly holding one's place]


stall 2

noun
  1. A pickpocket's accomplice who in one way or another maneuvers the victim (1591+)
  2. A criminal's accomplice who primarily diverts attention, obstructs pursuit, keeps watch, etc: an excellent lookout or ''stall'' for her male companions (1930+ Underworld)

[fr earlier stale or stall, ''decoy bird,'' probably fr Anglo-French estale or estal, ''a pigeon used to lure a hawk into a nest''; since delaying and misleading are involved in both, this derivation and that of stall1 have probably intermingled over the centuries, as illustrated by the fact that stand meant ''a thief's assistant'' in the late 16th century]