stall

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈstȯl 

1

a

: a compartment for a domestic animal in a stable or barn

b

: a space marked off for parking a motor vehicle

2

a

: a seat in the chancel of a church with back and sides wholly or partly enclosed

b

: a church pew

c

chiefly British : a front orchestra seat in a theater

—usually used in plural

3

: a booth, stand, or counter at which articles are displayed for sale

4

: a protective sheath for a finger or toe

5

: a small compartment

a shower stall

especially : one with a toilet or urinal

stall

2 of 5

verb (1)

stalled; stalling; stalls

transitive verb

1

: to put into or keep in a stall

2

obsolete : install sense 2

3

a

: to bring to a standstill : block

especially : mire

b

: to cause (an engine) to stop usually inadvertently

c

: to cause (an aircraft or airfoil) to go into a stall

intransitive verb

1

: to come to a standstill (as from mired wheels or engine failure)

2

: to experience a stall in flying

stall

3 of 5

noun (2)

: the condition of an airfoil or aircraft in which excessive angle of attack causes disruption of airflow with attendant loss of lift

stall

4 of 5

noun (3)

: a ruse to deceive or delay

stall

5 of 5

verb (2)

stalled; stalling; stalls

intransitive verb

: to play for time : delay

transitive verb

: to hold off, divert, or delay by evasion or deception

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• arrest
• bring up
• catch
• check
• draw up
• fetch up
• halt
• hold up
• pull up
• stay
• still
• stop

Examples of stall in a Sentence

Verb (1)

endless complaints stalled the process of selecting the winning design for the memorial

the engine stalls sometimes when it's very cold outside

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The film’s momentum oddly stalls once its heroine reaches the city, while outsiders may find that the Aita tradition is more mythologized than it is clearly explained. —Guy Lodge, Variety, 19 May 2024

Working for a last shot, Allen stalled with the ball for about 30 seconds. —Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2024

Negotiations over a cease-fire that would release a number of hostages have stalled, with Israel and Hamas at odds over the conditions for a truce. —Kayla Guo, New York Times, 18 May 2024

Doug Burgum impressed, Ron DeSantis imploded, Mike Pence withdrew, Nikki Haley stalled, and Vivek Ramaswamy annoyed. —Matthew Continetti, National Review, 18 May 2024

However, the bill stalled out in the House, where some Republicans object to its cost. —Claudia Grisales, NPR, 16 May 2024

The transit village is stalled, however, stymied by the tech titan’s current regimen of cost controls, layoffs and cutbacks in Google’s real estate footprint. —George Avalos, The Mercury News, 15 May 2024

The program would eventually stall out due to leadership changes in the department, but not before this prototype was built. —Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 13 May 2024

The initiatives were once part of Build Back Better, Biden’s gargantuan legislative agenda that stalled on Capitol Hill two years ago. —Chris Megerian, Fortune, 8 May 2024

Noun

Many places only have one larger stall, which is often occupied by a non-handicapped person. —Amy Dickinson, Detroit Free Press, 8 May 2024

Speaking of rice, what’s behind the name Workout Rice, another food hall stall? —Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2024

The shower was a tiny, tiled stall behind a folding screen. —Brittney Griner, TIME, 3 May 2024

Readers are made privy to the court intrigues of Thomas Cromwell and King Henry VIII, eavesdrop on women arguing in a market stall, and inhale the stench of London streets. —Trip Gabriel, New York Times, 3 May 2024

There’s also a 100-foot x 200-foot year-round riding arena, additional horse and livestock stalls, and fenced pastures. —Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 25 Apr. 2024

Among the Trump-merchandise stalls and food stands was a Turning Point Action booth, where a young volunteer and friend of Presler’s was signing up the not insignificant portion of Trump-rally attendees who aren’t registered to vote. —Antonia Hitchens, The New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2024

There are additional horse and livestock stalls and pastures on the land. —David Caraccio, Sacramento Bee, 23 Apr. 2024

When the line by their doughnut stall grew longer each Saturday, the couple decided to go all-in with Slow Rise, launching social media, a website and merchandise. —Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 20 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English steall; akin to Old High German stal place, stall and perhaps to Latin locus (Old Latin stlocus) place

Noun (3) and Verb (2)

alteration of stale lure

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1916, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1846, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1903, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Phrases Containing stall

• box stall
• stall-feed
• whip stall

Kids Definition

stall

1 of 5 noun

ˈstȯl 

1

: a compartment for a domestic animal in a stable or barn

2

a

: a seat in the choir of a church with back and sides wholly or partly enclosed

b

chiefly British : a front orchestra seat in a theater

—usually used in plural

3

: a booth, stand, or counter at which articles are displayed for sale

4

: a small compartment

a shower stall

especially : one with a toilet or urinal

stall

2 of 5 verb

1

: to put into or keep in a stall

2

: to stop or cause to stop usually by accident

stall an engine

3

: to experience or cause (an aircraft) to experience a stall in flying

stall

3 of 5 noun

: the condition of an aircraft or a wing of an aircraft in which lift is lost and the aircraft or wing tends to drop

stall

4 of 5 noun

: a trick to deceive or delay

stall

5 of 5 verb

: to distract attention or make excuses to gain time

try to stall them until I get the place cleaned up

Etymology

Noun

Old English steall "stall for an animal"

Noun

an altered form of earlier stale "lure"