# stall

/ˈstɔɫ/ (US) · /stˈɔːl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/stall
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. market stand

noun · CEFR A2

a small table or open-fronted shop, often in a market or street.

For teachers: a temporary or permanent stand, booth, or table used for the display and sale of goods in a marketplace.

- We bought some fresh bread and local honey from a market stall.
- The artisan cheese stall attracted a significant crowd, forcing the market organisers to widen the pedestrian aisle.

### 2. parking or animal space

noun · CEFR B1

a marked space for a car in a car park, or a small room for an animal in a stable.

For teachers: an individual compartment or designated area for a single vehicle or animal.

- He carefully backed his car into the narrow parking stall.
- The stable was designed with twelve individual stalls, each equipped with an automatic watering system for the horses.

### 3. theatre seating

noun · CEFR B2 · British English

the seats on the ground floor of a theatre, close to the stage.

For teachers: the ground-floor seating area in a theatre or auditorium, typically located between the stage and the orchestra pit.

- We had a great view of the actors because our seats were in the stalls.
- The acoustics in the front stalls are generally superior to those in the upper circles, though the ticket prices reflect this advantage.

Usage: Usually used in the plural: 'the stalls'.

### 4. to delay or wait

verb · CEFR B2

to try to stop something from happening or to wait longer on purpose.

For teachers: to intentionally delay an action or decision to gain more time.

- I tried to stall for time while my friend finished the surprise cake.
- The legal team attempted to stall the proceedings by filing a series of minor procedural motions.

### 5. engine failure

verb · CEFR B1

when an engine or a car suddenly stops working.

For teachers: to cause an internal combustion engine to stop abruptly, often due to improper clutch control or low speed.

- The student driver stalled the car three times at the traffic lights.
- If you release the clutch too quickly without enough throttle, the engine will likely stall.

### 6. to stop progress

verb · CEFR B2

to stop making progress or to come to a standstill.

For teachers: to reach a point where no further progress is made; to come to a halt.

- Negotiations between the two companies stalled over the price of the deal.
- The peace talks stalled after both parties refused to compromise on the border dispute.

### 7. loss of lift

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

when a plane loses the air power it needs to stay up and starts to fall.

For teachers: a condition in aerodynamics where the angle of attack increases beyond a critical point, causing a sudden decrease in lift.

- The pilot managed to recover from the stall and leveled the plane.
- The aircraft entered a deep stall after the airspeed dropped below the safety threshold during the steep climb.

## Examples

- She buys fresh bread from a market stall every Saturday.
- The local farmers set up their stalls early in the morning to sell seasonal vegetables to the public.
- While the high street shops remained empty, the vibrant market stalls thrived by offering unique handmade crafts and locally sourced produce that appealed to tourists.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.