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tall - 7 dictionary results
Tall
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tall

  [tawl] ,adjective, -er, -est, adverb
Use tall in a Sentence
–adjective
1. having a relatively great height; of more than average stature: a tall woman; tall grass.
2. having stature or height as specified: a man six feet tall.
3. large in amount or degree; considerable: a tall price; Swinging that deal is a tall order.
4. extravagant; difficult to believe: a tall tale.
5. high-flown; grandiloquent: He engages in so much tall talk, one never really knows what he's saying.
6. having more than usual length; long and relatively narrow: He carried a tall walking stick.
7. Archaic. valiant.
8. Obsolete.
a. seemly; proper.
b. fine; handsome.
–adverb
9. in a proud, confident, or erect manner: to stand tall; to walk tall.
Origin:
bef. 1000; ME: big, bold, comely, proper, ready, OE getæl (pl. getale) quick, ready, competent; c. OHG gizal quick

Related forms:
tallness, noun

Synonyms:
2. See high.

Antonyms:
1. short.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To tall
tall   (tôl)   
adj.   tall·er, tall·est
    1. Having greater than ordinary height: a tall woman.
    2. Having considerable height, especially in relation to width; lofty: tall trees.
  2. Having a specified height: a plant three feet tall.
  3. Informal Fanciful or exaggerated; boastful: tall tales of heroic exploits.
  4. Impressively great or difficult: a tall order to fill.
  5. Archaic Excellent; fine.
adv.  With proud bearing; straight: stand tall.

[Middle English, brave, quick, from Old English getæl, swift; see del-2 in Indo-European roots.]
tall'ish adj., tall'ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Tall

Tall\, a. [Compar. Taller; superl. Tallest.] [OE. tal seemly, elegant, docile (?); of uncertain origin; cf. AS. un-tala, un-tale, bad, Goth. untals indocile, disobedient, uninstructed, or W. & Corn. tal high, Ir. talla meet, fit, proper, just.]

1. High in stature; having a considerable, or an unusual, extension upward; long and comparatively slender; having the diameter or lateral extent small in proportion to the height; as, a tall person, tree, or mast.

Two of far nobler shape, erect and tall. --Milton.

2. Brave; bold; courageous. [Obs.]

As tall a trencherman As e'er demolished a pye fortification. --Massinger.

His companions, being almost in despair of victory, were suddenly recomforted by Sir William Stanley, which came to succors with three thousand tall men. --Grafton.

3. Fine; splendid; excellent; also, extravagant; excessive. [Obs. or Slang] --B. Jonson.

Syn: High; lofty.

Usage: Tall, High, Lofty. High is the generic term, and is applied to anything which is elevated or raised above another thing. Tall specifically describes that which has a small diameter in proportion to its height; hence, we speak of a tall man, a tall steeple, a tall mast, etc., but not of a tall hill. Lofty has a special reference to the expanse above us, and denotes an imposing height; as, a lofty mountain; a lofty room. Tall is now properly applied only to physical objects; high and lofty have a moral acceptation; as, high thought, purpose, etc.; lofty aspirations; a lofty genius. Lofty is the stronger word, and is usually coupled with the grand or admirable.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : tall
Spanish: alto,
German: groß,
Japanese: (背が)高い
More Translations »

tall 
"high in stature," 1530, probably ult. from O.E. getæl "prompt, active." Sense evolved to "brave, valiant, seemly, proper" (c.1400), then to "attractive, handsome" (c.1450), and finally "being of more than average height." The O.E. word is related to O.H.G. gi-zal "quick," Goth. un-tals "indocile." Sense evolution is remarkable, but adjectives applied to persons often mutate quickly in meaning (e.g. pretty, boxom, Ger. klein "small, little," which in M.H.G. meant the same as its Eng. cognate clean). Phrase tall, dark, and handsome is recorded from 1906.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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TALL language
TAC List Language.
["TALL - A List Processor for the Philco 2000", J. Feldman, CACM 5(9):484-485 (Sep 1962)].
(1995-03-01)

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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tall

In addition to the idioms beginning with tall, also see walk tall.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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tall

("hill" or "small elevation"), in Middle Eastern archaeology, a raised mound marking the site of an ancient city. For specific sites, see under substantive word (e.g., Hasi, Tel)

Learn more about tall with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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