From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishstallstall1 /stɔːl $ stɒːl/ ●●○ S3 noun 1 [countable]SHOP/STORE a table or a small shop with an open front, especially outdoors, where goods are sold a market stall2 [countable]TA an enclosed area in a building for an animal such as a horse or cow3 [countable usually singular]TTC if a plane goes into a stall, its engine stops working4 [countable usually plural]TBB a seat in a row of fixed seats for priests and singers in some larger churches choir stalls5 → bathroom/toilet/shower stall6 → the stalls
Examples from the Corpus
stall• a stall at a flea market• There are stalls selling sweets, cakes, espetada and wine.• New covers for stalls in Darlington market will cost £4,600.• The organisation first began life in Shepperton with four ponies, two saddles, four bridles, four stalls and a shed.• The trouble is, you can't really try the clothes on at a market stall.• There was the theatre; seated in the stalls he could stare, but could not address her; but afterwards?• In the stalls Timothy Gedge sat three rows behind the children from Sea House, with the carrier-bag by his feet.• On leaving the stall they plunged into the hall which was bedlam, and far fuller than it had been that morning.• Justin used to mind the stall while his father was in the cafe, drinking.• Most of the Guernseys are hitched to their stalls, but one is in a special stall.stallstall2 verb 1 [intransitive, transitive]TT if an engine or vehicle stalls, or if you stall it, it stops because there is not enough power or speed to keep it going The car kept stalling. An inexperienced pilot may easily stall a plane.2 [intransitive] informalDELAY to deliberately delay because you are not ready to do something, answer questions etc Quit stalling and answer my question! He was just stalling for time.3 [transitive] informalPREVENT to make someone wait or stop something from happening until you are ready Maybe we can stall the sale until the prices go up. We’ve got to stall him somehow.4 [intransitive] to stop making progress or developing While his career has stalled, hers has taken off.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
stall• Bond was trying to gain altitude when his plane stalled.• Trade negotiations have stalled.• And passenger service growth has stalled.• More ominously, the effort to halt the nuclear spread could also stall.• Quit stalling and tell me where she is.• The risk of casual overtime is that production stalls because not enough people volunteer when needed.• City officials have slowed the development by stalling building permits for the area.• Thus, the 1985 proclamation of privatisation had largely stalled by 1989 for lack of buyers.• Dad's coming! Stall him for a minute while I hide this.• I'm not ready to talk to him yet - go out there and see if you can stall him.• The report comes as legislation to curb lawsuits and cap damages has stalled in Congress.• The government has long stalled on both fronts.• Privatization has stalled since the parliamentary election last December.• Many consumers are stalling the purchase of new cars.• Traffic had stalled to a stop because an oil truck was making a delivery, so the road was one lane wide.stalling for time• He was obviously stalling for time.• Management seems to be stalling for time on the new contracts.From Longman Business Dictionarystallstall1 /stɔːlstɒːl/ noun [countable]COMMERCE a table on which goods are placed, found in a public place such as a marketa market stallstallstall2 verb [intransitive, transitive]1to stop or cause something to stop, usually before continuing againInvestment in the country has stalled and billions of dollars have been transferred elsewhere.Maybe we can stall the sale until the prices go up.When the previous contract expired and bargainingtalks stalled, the workers went on strike.2to be delayed, or to delay something or someoneSales of cars fell 12.7% in mid-April, further stalling a hoped-for recovery for the industry.→ See Verb tableOrigin stall1 1. Old English steall2. (1900-2000) → STALL2 stall2 1. (1900-2000) stall “to put in a stall” ((14-20 centuries)), from → STALL12. (1800-1900) stale “something that leads people from the correct way” ((15-19 centuries)), from Anglo-French estale “something set up” 