stall

stall

stall¹ [stôl]

n.

[ME stal < OE steall, place, station, stall, stable, akin to OHG stal < IE base * stel-, to place, set up, stiff, stem > STILL¹]

1.

a) Obs. a stable

b) a compartment for one animal in a stable

2. any of various compartments, booths, separate sections, etc.; specif.,

a) a booth, table, or counter, as at a market or fair, at which goods are sold

b) a pew or enclosed seat in the main part of a church or in the choir

c) a small, enclosed space, as a compartment in which one showers

☆ d) any of the spaces marked off, as in a garage, for parking individual automobiles

3. Brit.

a) an orchestra seat in a theater, esp. one in the front part

b) [pl.] ORCHESTRA (sense 3a); also, the people sitting in these seats

4. a protective sheath, as of rubber, for a finger or thumb; cot

5. the condition of being brought to a stop or standstill, as through some malfunction

6. 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

vt., vi.

[ME stallen < the n. & < OFr estaler < Gmc, as in OHG stal]

1. to put, keep, or be kept in a stall

2. to cause to stick fast or to be stuck fast, as in mud

3. to bring or be brought to a stop or standstill, esp. unintentionally

4. to stop or cause to stop through some malfunction: said of a motor or engine

5. Aeron. to put or go into a stall

stall² [stôl]

vi.

[< stall, decoy, var. of obs. stale, one who lures < Anglo-Fr estale < OFr estaler: see STALL¹, vt. vi.]

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

vt.

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

n.

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