O.E.
heall "place covered by a roof, spacious roofed residence, temple," from P.Gmc.
*khallo "to cover, hide" (cf. O.H.G.
halla, Ger.
halle, Du.
hal, O.N.
höll "hall;" O.E.
hell, Goth.
halja "hell"), from PIE base
*kel- "to hide, conceal" (see
cell). Sense of "entry, vestibule" evolved 17c., at a time when the doors opened onto the main room of a house. Older sense preserved in
town hall, music hall, etc., and in university dormitory names.
Hall of Fame first attested 1901, in ref. to Columbia College.
[hawl] 
f]