stall
stall — noun
1. a small stand or table, open at the front, where goods are sold at a market or p
a small stand or table, open at the front, where goods are sold at a market or public event.
Hui bought a woollen scarf from a stall at the weekend market.
collocation: market stall / weekend market
The street fair had food stalls selling dumplings and grilled corn.
collocation: food stall
Valentina set up her jewellery stall near the station entrance every morning.
verb collocation: set up a stall
Farmers brought fresh vegetables to sell at their wooden stalls along the road.
Tariq runs a book stall on the university campus every Friday.
- market stall
- food stall
- book stall
- set up a stall
- stall holder
Common Mistakes
2. a separate compartment in a farm building where one horse, cow, or other animal
a separate compartment in a farm building where one horse, cow, or other animal is housed.
Each horse had its own stall in the barn with fresh hay and water.
collocation: horse stall
Lakshmi cleaned the cow's stall before putting down new straw bedding.
The pony stuck its head over the stall door and whinnied loudly.
Caleb led the mare back to her stall after the long ride through the woods.
- horse stall
- cow stall
- stall door
- clean out a stall
- bedding in a stall
- pen
a larger outdoor or indoor enclosure for animals, not necessarily for a single animal
- compartment
more general term for any divided section; less specific to animal housing
- stable
refers to the whole building, not an individual compartment
3. a small enclosed area within a room, set apart by partitions or curtains, used f
a small enclosed area within a room, set apart by partitions or curtains, used for a single purpose such as showering or studying alone.
The gym has individual shower stalls with waterproof curtains.
collocation: shower stall
Léa found a quiet study stall on the third floor of the library.
collocation: study stall
The public toilet stall had a broken lock on the door.
Nkechi hung her clothes on the hook inside the changing stall before swimming.
- shower stall
- toilet stall
- changing stall
- library stall
- study stall
- cubicle
more common in British English for toilet and changing compartments; slightly more formal
- compartment
a general term for any divided space; less specific to rooms
- carrel
specifically a small desk with high sides in a library
Usage Note
In American English, 'stall' commonly refers to toilet cubicles and shower compartments. In British English, 'cubicle' is more frequent for toilet stalls, while 'shower stall' is used in both varieties.
4. a fixed wooden seat inside a church, typically fitted with side panels and a hig
a fixed wooden seat inside a church, typically fitted with side panels and a high back, used by the choir or clergy.
The choir sat in carved wooden stalls facing each other across the aisle.
collocation: choir stalls
Ari's grandmother always sat in the same stall near the front of the church.
The cathedral's stalls were decorated with detailed wood carvings of saints and animals.
During the service, the priests took their places in the stalls behind the altar.
- choir stalls
- church stalls
- carved stalls
- wooden stalls
- canon's stall
Usage Note
This sense is most commonly found in descriptions of cathedrals, abbeys, and traditional church architecture. 'Pew' is the more general term for church seating; 'stall' specifically refers to the more ornate fixed seats for clergy or choir.
5. a seat in the part of a theatre that is closest to the stage, at ground-floor le
a seat in the part of a theatre that is closest to the stage, at ground-floor level; also used for the front seating area of a cinema.
Sana booked two stalls seats for the evening performance of the ballet.
collocation: stalls seats / stalls
The best view of the stage is from the front stalls section of the theatre.
Christopher bought cheap tickets in the rear stalls just before the show began.
From their stalls seats, the children could see every expression on the actors' faces.
- front stalls
- rear stalls
- stalls seats
- circle and stalls
- stalls ticket
- orchestra seats
American English equivalent; seats on the main floor near the stage
- pit
historical term for the area behind the stalls; now less common
Usage Note
Primarily used in British English. In American English, the equivalent area is called the 'orchestra' or 'orchestra seats'. The stalls are typically at street level, below the circle and balcony levels.
Common Mistakes
6. an action, excuse, or question used deliberately to delay someone or create more
an action, excuse, or question used deliberately to delay someone or create more time to prepare or decide.
The senator's long speech was just a stall to prevent the vote from happening.
pattern: a stall to [do something]
Omar knew the phone call was a stall and refused to be fooled by it.
Using budget concerns as a stall, the committee delayed the final decision.
The manager's vague answer was clearly a stall designed to avoid answering the question directly.
- a stall to ...
- be a stall
- just a stall
- a deliberate stall
- delaying tactic
more explicit and formal; makes the intention clear
- stalling tactic
emphasises the deliberate nature of the delay
- ruse
a trick or deception; implies dishonesty more strongly than 'stall'
- dodge
informal; focuses on avoiding rather than delaying
Usage Note
This sense is derived from the verb meaning 'to delay'. It is always used in singular form and often appears with an infinitive purpose clause ('a stall to ...').
stall — verb
1. when an engine suddenly stops running, or when a driver causes it to stop, usual
when an engine suddenly stops running, or when a driver causes it to stop, usually because the vehicle is moving too slowly or due to a mistake with the gears or clutch.
Theo's car stalled at the traffic lights and would not start again.
intransitive: engine + stall
The engine stalled when Hui tried to pull away from the junction too quickly.
Caleb stalled his motorbike on the steep hill and nearly dropped it.
transitive: stall + object (vehicle)
Cold weather can cause an old engine to stall more easily in the morning.
The delivery truck stalled in the middle of the roundabout, blocking the traffic behind it.
- engine stalls
- stall the car
- stall the engine
- car stalls
- stall at the lights
Grammar Patterns
engine + stall (intransitive)
stall + engine (transitive)
Usage Note
Can be used both with and without a direct object. 'My car stalled' (intransitive) means the engine stopped by itself. 'I stalled the car' (transitive) means the driver's actions caused it to stop, typically by releasing the clutch too quickly.
Common Mistakes
2. to behave evasively or put off responding so that you gain extra time to decide
to behave evasively or put off responding so that you gain extra time to decide or prepare.
When asked about the missing money, Mert stalled and changed the subject.
intransitive usage: stall (without object)
The politician stalled for time by asking the reporter to repeat the question.
idiom: stall for time
Instead of signing the agreement, the lawyer stalled and requested more documents.
Valentina could tell that her assistant was stalling to avoid giving bad news.
Eitan stalled for a moment, pretending to check his phone while thinking of an excuse.
- stall for time
- stall over a decision
- stall on an issue
- stall deliberately
- delay
neutral term; 'stall' implies the delay is intentional and often evasive
- procrastinate
delaying personal tasks out of laziness or avoidance, not for strategic advantage
- play for time
idiom with the same meaning; slightly more informal
- act
to take decisive action instead of delaying
- answer directly
to give a clear, immediate response
Grammar Patterns
stall (intransitive)
stall for time
Usage Note
This sense is intransitive — there is no direct object. The person is simply delaying. The common expression 'stall for time' is a fixed phrase meaning to create a delay deliberately.
Common Mistakes
3. to delay a person deliberately by making excuses, giving vague answers, or creat
to delay a person deliberately by making excuses, giving vague answers, or creating small interruptions so that they cannot do what they intend to do.
The receptionist stalled the visitors while the manager prepared for the meeting.
transitive: stall + person as object
Lakshmi stalled the salesperson with questions until her friend arrived at the shop.
The security guard stalled the delivery driver by checking every box very slowly.
Tariq tried to stall the inspector with paperwork and offers of coffee.
- stall someone with questions
- stall the visitor
- stall the reporter
- stall a person
- delay
neutral; doesn't imply the evasive or intentional quality of 'stall'
- hold up
phrasal verb with the same meaning; slightly more informal
- keep waiting
describes the effect on the person; less strategic in tone
- let through
to allow someone to proceed without delay
- speed up
to help someone move faster
Grammar Patterns
stall + person as object
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 2 (STALL FOR TIME): sense 3 takes a person as the direct object — you stall SOMEONE. Sense 2 is intransitive — you simply stall (delay). You can also stall someone for time, combining both patterns.
4. to reach a standstill in progress or growth; to no longer move forward.
to reach a standstill in progress or growth; to no longer move forward.
Peace talks stalled after both sides refused to compromise on the border issue.
subject: abstract process (talks)
The construction project stalled because the builders ran out of steel and concrete.
Nkechi's career stalled when she decided to turn down the promotion at work.
Economic growth stalled in the third quarter, worrying investors and analysts alike.
Negotiations stalled when neither side would agree to the proposed terms.
collocation: negotiations stall
- talks stall
- negotiations stall
- career stalls
- progress stalls
- economy stalls
- halt
more complete and sudden stop than 'stall', which implies possible resumption
- stop
general term; 'stall' suggests the stop is unintended and temporary
- grind to a halt
idiom; emphasises a slow, gradual stop rather than a sudden one
Grammar Patterns
progress / talks / career + stall
Usage Note
This sense is intransitive and the subject is always a process, project, or abstract thing — never a person. The subject is what has lost momentum. 'Talks stalled', 'the economy stalled', 'her career stalled'. Contrast with sense 5 (DELAY EVENT) where a person actively stalls something.
5. to deliberately cause an event, process, or plan to slow down or stop moving for
to deliberately cause an event, process, or plan to slow down or stop moving forward, often by creating obstacles or objections.
Heavy snow stalled traffic across the entire city during the morning rush hour.
transitive: stall + event as object
The opposition party stalled the new law by demanding weeks of additional debate.
A broken water pipe stalled production at the factory for two whole days.
Léa's sudden illness stalled her plan to move abroad and start a new job.
The manager deliberately stalled the decision until the board could review the report.
- stall a bill
- stall progress
- stall negotiations
- stall a plan
- stall a decision
- expedite
to make a process happen faster
- accelerate
to speed up progress
- push forward
to actively advance an event or plan
Grammar Patterns
stall + event/process as object
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 4 (LOSE MOMENTUM): sense 5 is transitive — an agent deliberately stalls something (an event, process, plan). Sense 4 is intransitive — the process itself stalls. Compare: 'The government stalled the bill' (sense 5, active) vs 'The bill stalled in parliament' (sense 4, passive process).
Word family
- stalledadjectiveB2
- stallingnounB2
- stallingadjectiveB2
- stallholdernounB2
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/2
These five words all involve slowing something down, but they differ in intent and scope. 'Stall' (verb/2) means to deliberately hold back action or avoid answering, often to gain time or a strategic advantage — 'the politician stalled when asked about the scandal.' 'Delay' is the most neutral term; it simply means to make something later than planned, without implying intention: 'the flight was delayed by bad weather.' 'Procrastinate' is focused on personal tasks and suggests laziness or avoidance rather than strategy: 'I keep procrastinating on my tax return.' 'Postpone' is formal and implies a conscious decision to reschedule: 'the meeting was postponed until next week.' 'Hinder' means to actively create obstacles that slow progress: 'the lack of funding hindered the research project.' In short, stall is strategic and evasive, delay is neutral, procrastinate is personal, postpone is formal, and hinder is about obstruction.
Common collocations
Nouns
- stall tactics
- stall speed
- stall warning
Adverbs
- briefly
- deliberately
- intentionally
- temporarily
- suddenly
Phrases
- stall for time
- stall the process
- stall someone's progress
Prepositions
- at
- for
- in
- on
- over
Etymology
The word 'stall' comes from Old English 'steall', meaning a standing place, position, or stable. It is related to Old High German 'stal' (place, stable) and ultimately traces back to the Proto-Germanic root *stallaz, which is also the source of 'still' and 'stand'. The noun meaning 'a market stand' developed from the idea of a fixed position where a seller stands. The verb sense of 'delaying' emerged in the 18th century, likely from the noun 'stall' used to describe a decoy or delaying tactic in card games and horse racing.