Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Stall \Stall\, n.
   A covering or sheath, as of leather, horn, of iron, for a
   finger or thumb; a cot; as, a thumb stall; a finger stall.

Stall \Stall\, n. [OE. stal, AS. steall, stall, a place, seat,
   or station, a stable; akin to D. & OHG. stal, G. & Sw. stall,
   stallr, Dan. stald, originally, a standing place; akin to G.
   selle a place, stellen to place, Gr. ? to set, place, send,
   and E. stand. ? 163. See {Stand}, and cf. {Apostle},
   {Epistle}, {Forestall}, {Install}, {Stale}, a. & v. i., 1st
   {Stalk}, {Stallion}, {Still}.]
   1. A stand; a station; a fixed spot; hence, the stand or
      place where a horse or an ox kept and fed; the division of
      a stable, or the compartment, for one horse, ox, or other
      animal. ``In an oxes stall.'' --Chaucer.

   2. A stable; a place for cattle.

            At last he found a stall where oxen stood. --Dryden.

   3. A small apartment or shed in which merchandise is exposed
      for sale; as, a butcher's stall; a bookstall.

   4. A bench or table on which small articles of merchandise
      are exposed for sale.

            How peddlers' stalls with glittering toys are laid.
                                                  --Gay.

   5. A seat in the choir of a church, for one of the
      officiating clergy. It is inclosed, either wholly or
      partially, at the back and sides. The stalls are
      frequently very rich, with canopies and elaborate carving.

            The dignifird clergy, out of humanility, have called
            their thrones by the names of stalls. --Bp.
                                                  Warburton.

            Loud the monks in their stalls.       --Longfellow.

   6. In the theater, a seat with arms or otherwise partly
      inclosed, as distinguished from the benches, sofas, etc.

   7. (Mining) The space left by excavation between pillars. See
      {Post and stall}, under {Post}.

   {Stall reader}, one who reads books at a stall where they are
      exposed for sale.

            Cries the stall reader, ``Bless us! what a word on A
            titlepage is this!''                  --Milton.

Stall \Stall\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Stalled}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Stalling}.] [Cf. Sw. stalla, Dan. stalde.]
   1. To put into a stall or stable; to keep in a stall or
      stalls; as, to stall an ox.

            Where King Latinus then his oxen stalled.

            Dryden.

   2. To fatten; as, to stall cattle. [Prov. Eng.]

   3. To place in an office with the customary formalities; to
      install. --Shak.

   4. To plunge into mire or snow so as not to be able to get
      on; to set; to fix; as, to stall a cart. --Burton.

            His horses had been stalled in the snow. --E. E.
                                                  Hale.

   5. To forestall; to anticipitate. Having

            This not to be stall'd by my report.  --Massinger.

   6. To keep close; to keep secret. [Obs.]

            Stall this in your bosom.             --Shak.

Stall \Stall\, v. i. [AS. steallian to have room. See {Stall},
   n.]
   1. To live in, or as in, a stall; to dwell. [Obs.]

            We could not stall together In the whole world.
                                                  --Shak.

   2. To kennel, as dogs.                         --Johnson.

   3. To be set, as in mire or snow; to stick fast.

   4. To be tired of eating, as cattle. [Prov. Eng.]

Source : WordNet®

stall
     n 1: a compartment in a stable where a single animal is confined
          and fed
     2: small area set off by walls for special use [syn: {booth}, {cubicle},
         {kiosk}]
     3: a booth where articles are displayed for sale [syn: {stand},
         {sales booth}]
     4: a malfunction in the flight of an aircraft in which there is
        a sudden loss of lift that results in a downward plunge;
        "the plane went into a stall and I couldn't control it"
     5: small individual study area in a library [syn: {carrel}, {carrell},
         {cubicle}]
     6: a tactic used to mislead or delay [syn: {stalling}]

stall
     v 1: postpone doing what one should be doing; "He did not want to
          write the letter and procrastinated for days" [syn: {procrastinate},
           {drag one's feet}, {drag one's heels}, {shillyshally},
          {dilly-dally}, {dillydally}]
     2: come to a stop; "The car stalled in the driveway" [syn: {conk}]
     3: deliberately delay an event or action; "she doesn't want to
        write the report, so she is stalling"
     4: put into, or keep in, a stall; "Stall the horse"
     5: experience a stall in flight, of airplanes
     6: cause an airplane to go into a stall
     7: cause an engine to stop; "The inexperienced driver kept
        stalling the car"