Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web
Related Searches
Synonyms
Nearby Words

stalling

 - 5 dictionary results

stall

1  [stawl] ,
Use stalling in a Sentence
–noun
1. a compartment in a stable or shed for the accommodation of one animal.
2. a stable or shed for horses or cattle.
3. a booth or stand in which merchandise is displayed for sale, or in which some business is carried on (sometimes used in combination): a butcher's stall; a bookstall.
4. carrel (def. 1).
5. one of a number of fixed enclosed seats in the choir or chancel of a church for the use of the clergy.
6. a pew.
7. any small compartment or booth for a specific activity or housing a specific thing: a shower stall.
8. a rectangular space marked off or reserved for parking a car or other vehicle, as in a parking lot.
9. an instance or the condition of causing an engine, or a vehicle powered by an engine, to stop, esp. by supplying it with a poor fuel mixture or by overloading it.
10. Aeronautics. an instance or the condition of causing an airplane to fly at an angle of attack greater than the angle of maximum lift, causing loss of control and a downward spin. Compare critical angle (def. 2).
11. a protective covering for a finger or toe, as various guards and sheaths or one finger of a glove.
12. British. a chairlike seat in a theater, separated from others by arms or rails, esp. one in the front section of the parquet.
–verb (used with object)
13. to assign to, put, or keep in a stall or stalls, as an animal or a car.
14. to confine in a stall for fattening, as cattle.
15. to cause (a motor or the vehicle it powers) to stop, esp. by supplying it with a poor fuel mixture or overloading it.
16. Aeronautics.
a. to put (an airplane) into a stall.
b. to lose control of or crash (an airplane) from so doing.
17. to bring to a standstill; check the progress or motion of, esp. unintentionally.
18. to cause to stick fast, as in mire or snow.
–verb (used without object)
19. (of an engine, car, airplane, etc.) to be stalled or go through the process of stalling (sometimes fol. by out).
20. to come to a standstill; be brought to a stop.
21. to stick fast, as in mire.
22. to occupy a stall, as an animal.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME; OE steall; c. G Stall, ON stallr; akin to OE stellan, G stellen to put, place

Related forms:
stall-like, adjective

stall

2  [stawl] ,
–verb (used without object)
1. to delay, esp. by evasion or deception.
2. Sports. to prolong holding the ball as a tactic to prevent the opponent from scoring, as when one's team has the lead. Compare freeze (def. 31).
–verb (used with object)
3. to delay or put off, esp. by evasion or deception (often fol. by off): He stalled the police for 15 minutes so his accomplice could get away.
–noun
4. a pretext, as a ruse, trick, or the like, used to delay or deceive.
5. Underworld Slang. the member of a pickpocket's team who distracts the victim long enough for the theft to take place.
6. Sports. slowdown (def. 3).
Origin:
1490–1500; earlier stale decoy bird (> AF estale decoy pigeon), OE stæl- decoy (in stælhrān decoy reindeer); akin to stall 1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To stalling
stall 1   (stôl)   
n.  

  1. A compartment for one domestic animal in a barn or shed.

    1. A booth, cubicle, or stand used by a vendor, as at a market.

    2. A small compartment: a shower stall.

    3. An enclosed seat in the chancel of a church.

    4. A pew in a church.

    1. An enclosed seat in the chancel of a church.

    2. A pew in a church.

  4. Chiefly British A seat in the front part of a theater.

  5. A space marked off, as in a garage, for parking a motor vehicle.

  6. A protective sheath for a finger or toe.

  7. The sudden, unintended loss of power or effectiveness in an engine.

  8. A condition in which an aircraft or airfoil experiences an interruption of airflow resulting in loss of lift and a tendency to drop.

v.   stalled, stall·ing, stalls

v.   tr.

  1. To put or lodge in a stall.

  2. To maintain in a stall for fattening: to stall cattle.

  3. To halt the motion or progress of; bring to a standstill.

  4. To cause (a motor or motor vehicle) accidentally to stop running.

  5. To cause (an aircraft) to go into a stall.

v.   intr.

  1. To live or be lodged in a stall. Used of an animal.

  2. To stick fast in mud or snow.

  3. To come to a standstill: Negotiations stalled.

  4. To stop running as a result of mechanical failure: The car stalled on the freeway.

  5. To lose forward flying speed, causing a stall. Used of an aircraft.


[Middle English stalle, from Old English steall, standing place, stable; see stel- in Indo-European roots.]
stall 2   (stôl)   
n.  A ruse or tactic used to mislead or delay.
v.   stalled, stall·ing, stalls

v.   tr.
To employ delaying tactics against: stall off creditors.
v.   intr.
To employ delaying tactics: stalling for time.

[Alteration (influenced by stall1) of obsolete stale, pickpocket's accomplice, from Middle English, decoy, from Anglo-Norman estale, of Germanic origin; possibly akin to Old English stǣl, stathol, place, position; see staddle.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

stall  (n.1)
"place in a stable for animals," O.E. steall "place where cattle are kept, place, position," from P.Gmc. *stallaz (cf. O.N. stallr "pedestal for idols, altar," O.Fris. stal, O.H.G. stall "stand, place, stable, stall," Ger. Stall "stable," Stelle "place"), earlier *stalnaz- or *stathlo-, from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (cf. Gk. stellein "to set in order, arrange, equip;" see stet). The word passed into Romanic languages (cf. It. stallo "place," stalla "stable;" O.Fr. estal "place, position, stand, stall," Fr. étal "butcher's stall"). Several meanings, including that of "a stand for selling" (c.1250, implied in stallage "tax levied for the privilege of erecting a stall at a market or fair"), are from (or influenced by) O.Fr. estal. Meaning "partially enclosed seat in a choir" is attested from c.1400; that of "urinal in a men's room" is from 1967.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Search another word or see stalling on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us:
Partner Sites:
Ask AnswersEviteExpediaHotelsHotwireLife123LiveDailyMy Way