• (British) IPA: /stɔːl/
• (America) IPA: /stɔl/
• (cot-caught) IPA: /stɑl/

stall (plural stalls)

1. (countable) A compartment for a single animal in a stable or cattle shed.

   Synonyms: boose

2. A stable; a place for cattle.

   • At last he found a stall where oxen stood.

3. A bench or table on which small articles of merchandise are exposed for sale.

   • how peddlers' stalls with glittering toys are laid

4. (countable) A small open-fronted shop, for example in a market.
   • 1900, Charles W. Chesnutt, The House Behind the Cedars, Chapter I,

     He looked in vain into the stalls for the butcher who had sold fresh meat twice a week, on market days...

5. A very small room used for a shower or a toilet.
   • 1990, John Updike, Rabbit at Rest

     Rabbit eases from the king-size bed, goes into their bathroom with its rose-colored one-piece Fiberglas tub and shower stall, and urinates into the toilet of a matching rose porcelain.

6. (countable) A seat in a theatre close to and (about) level with the stage; traditionally, a seat with arms, or otherwise partly enclosed, as distinguished from the benches, sofas, etc.
7. (aeronautics) Loss of lift due to an airfoil's critical angle of attack being exceeded.
8. (paganism and Heathenry) An Heathen altar, typically an indoor one, as contrasted with a more substantial outdoor harrow.
9. A seat in a church, especially one next to the chancel or choir, reserved for church officials and dignitaries.
10. A church office that entitles the incumbent to the use of a church stall.
    • 1910 [1840], Alexandre Dumas, père, translator not mentioned, Celebrated Crimes: Urbain Grandier, P. F. Collier edition,

      When he had been some months installed there as a priest-in-charge, he received a prebendal stall, thanks to the same patrons, in the collegiate church of Sainte-Croix.

11. A sheath to protect the finger.
12. (mining) The space left by excavation between pillars.
13. (Canadian) A parking stall; a space for a vehicle in a parking lot or parkade.

• French: stalle
• German: Stall
• Italian: stalla
• Portuguese: baia, boxe
• Russian: сто́йло
• Spanish: compartimento, compartimiento

• French: étable
• Italian: stalla
• Spanish: establo

• French: étal
• Spanish: puesto, anaquel, puesto, mostrador

• French: étal, stand
• German: Stand, Bude
• Italian: bancarella, chiosco
• Portuguese: estande, banca
• Russian: ларёк
• Spanish: puesto

• French: cabine de douche
• German: Kabine, Duschkabine
• Italian: cabina
• Portuguese: box
• Russian: каби́нка

• French: parterre, stalle
• Italian: platea
• Portuguese: platéia, audiência
• Russian: парте́р
• Spanish: asiento

• French: décrochage
• German: Überziehen, Strömungsabriss
• Portuguese: estol
• Russian: сва́ливание
• Spanish: entrada en pérdida

• Spanish: altar

• French: stalle

• stall-fed
• orchestra stalls

stall (stalls, present participle stalling; past and past participle stalled)

1. (transitive) To put (an animal, etc.) in a stall.

   to stall an ox

   • where King Latinus then his oxen stalled

2. To fatten.

   to stall cattle

3. (intransitive) To come to a standstill.
4. (transitive) To cause to stop making progress, to hinder, to slow down, to delay or forestall.
5. To plunge into mire or snow so as not to be able to get on; to set; to fix.

   to stall a cart

   • His horses had been stalled in the snow.

6. (intransitive, of an engine) To stop suddenly.
7. (transitive, automotive) To cause the engine of a manual-transmission car to stop by going too slowly for the selected gear.
8. (intransitive, aeronautics) To exceed the critical angle of attack, resulting in loss of lift.
9. (obsolete) To live in, or as if in, a stall; to dwell.
   • c. 1606–1607, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act V, scene i]:

     We could not stall together / In the whole world.

10. (obsolete) To be stuck, as in mire or snow; to stick fast.
11. (obsolete) To be tired of eating, as cattle.
12. To place in an office with the customary formalities; to install.
13. To forestall; to anticipate.

    • not to be stall'd by my report

14. To keep close; to keep secret.
    • c. 1604–1605, William Shakespeare, “All’s VVell, that Ends VVell”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act I, scene iii]:

      Stall this in your bosom.

• French: engraisser
• German: mästen
• Italian: ingrassare
• Portuguese: cevar, engordar
• Spanish: cebar, engordar

• Russian: гло́хнуть

• French: décrocher
• German: überziehen
• Portuguese: estolar
• Russian: сва́ливаться
• Spanish: entrar en pérdida

stall (plural stalls)

1. An action that is intended to cause or actually causes delay.

   His encounters with security, reception, the secretary, and the assistant were all stalls until the general manager's attorney arrived.

stall (stalls, present participle stalling; past and past participle stalled)

1. (transitive) To employ delaying tactics against.

   He stalled the creditors as long as he could.

2. (intransitive) To employ delaying tactics.

   Soon it became clear that she was stalling to give him time to get away.

• (transitive) delay, postpone, put off
• (intransitive) delay, penelopize, procrastinate

• French: faire patienter, retarder
• Portuguese: enrolar

• French: gagner du temps
• Portuguese: enrolar