- stall
- stall1 [ stɔl ] noun count **▸ 1 space for animal▸ 2 when engine stops▸ 3 for shower/toilet▸ 4 for selling▸ 5 seats in theater etc.▸ + PHRASES1. ) a narrow space for one animal such as a horse or piga ) a frame in which a horse waits before it starts a race2. ) an occasion when a vehicle's engine suddenly stops working3. ) AMERICAN a small room for a shower or a toilet. British cubicle4. ) a large table or a small building that is open at the front, used for selling things or for giving people information:a flower/souvenir stall5. ) stalls plural BRITISH the seats in front of the stage on the lowest level of a theater, movie theater, etc.a ) a seat in a church in which a priest or singer sits:carved wooden choir stallsset out your stall BRITISHto show your intentions or abilities clearly:The politicians were setting out their stalls for the election.stallstall 2 [ stɔl ] verb *1. ) intransitive or transitive MAINLY JOURNALISM if a process stalls, or if someone stalls it, it stops making progress:Talks have stalled and both sides are preparing for war.The peace process remained stalled last night.2. ) intransitive or transitive if a vehicle or its engine stalls, or if the driver stalls it, it suddenly stops working because not enough power is reaching the engine:The truck stalled on the hill.He managed to stall the car twice before finally driving away.3. ) intransitive or transitive to refuse to answer or decide something in order to gain more time:Do you know who it was? Not yet , I stalled.stall on/over: Each side accused the other of stalling on planned prisoner exchanges.a ) transitive to make someone wait or stay somewhere in order to gain more time:If he calls again, try to stall him until I get there.
Usage of the words and phrases in modern English. 2013.