stall
stall — verb
1. When a vehicle's engine suddenly stops working, usually by accident; or to make
When a vehicle's engine suddenly stops working, usually by accident; or to make a vehicle's engine stop this way.
Omar's car stalled at the traffic light, so he had to restart the engine.
stall (intransitive) — engine stops suddenly
The driving instructor told Yuna not to stall the car by lifting the clutch too fast.
stall + car (transitive) — driver causes the stop
On the hill, the old truck stalled twice before reaching the top.
- run
engine is operating smoothly
文法句型
stall (intransitive)
stall + object (transitive)
用法筆記
Common in driving contexts. As an intransitive verb, the subject is the engine or vehicle. As a transitive verb, the subject is the driver.
常見錯誤
2. To deliberately take more time than needed to answer or act, often to gain an ad
To deliberately take more time than needed to answer or act, often to gain an advantage or avoid giving a direct reply.
When the reporter asked about the scandal, the politician stalled and changed the subject.
stall — avoid answering
Kadek was stalling for time while she figured out the right answer.
stall for time — idiom pattern
If the bank calls about the payment, just stall until we get the money next week.
- delay
more neutral; stall implies intentional avoidance
- procrastinate
more formal; usually about avoiding a task, not a question
- answer directly
responding without delay
文法句型
stall (no object)
stall for time
用法筆記
Frequently used with 'for time' — 'stall for time' is a fixed phrase meaning to delay deliberately.
常見錯誤
3. To make someone wait or prevent them from doing something, usually by giving exc
To make someone wait or prevent them from doing something, usually by giving excuses or pretending to be busy.
The secretary stalled the visitors by saying the manager was in a meeting.
stall + person — delay with an excuse
Amara stalled her landlord for a week while she gathered the rent money.
We tried to stall the delivery driver so the surprise party could be set up.
- speed up
to make something happen faster
文法句型
stall + person
用法筆記
The object is always a person or group. Unlike 'stall for time' (intransitive, sense 2), this sense requires a direct object.
常見錯誤
4. To stop making progress or developing further; to reach a point where movement o
To stop making progress or developing further; to reach a point where movement or growth ceases.
The peace talks stalled after both sides refused to compromise on the border issue.
stall — negotiations stop progressing
Haruki's career stalled when the company stopped offering training programs.
Construction on the new hospital stalled because the city ran out of funding.
- halt
more complete and permanent
- pause
temporary stop, less negative
- grind to a halt
more dramatic, slower process
文法句型
stall (subject: process/plan)
用法筆記
Subject is typically an abstract process (talks, career, project, economy). This sense is intransitive — the process stops by itself or due to external reasons.
5. To deliberately cause an event, project, or process to happen later than planned
To deliberately cause an event, project, or process to happen later than planned or to pause its progress.
The committee stalled the vote until more members could attend the meeting.
stall + event — delay a planned event
Priya's visa problems stalled the launch of her new business for three months.
Bad weather stalled the rescue mission, leaving the hikers stranded overnight.
- expedite
to make happen faster
文法句型
stall + event/project
用法筆記
Object is an event or process, not a person. Distinguish from sense 3 (object is a person) and sense 4 (intransitive — process stops on its own).
常見錯誤
6. To put a farm animal into a separate enclosed space within a stable or barn, or
To put a farm animal into a separate enclosed space within a stable or barn, or to keep it there for feeding or resting.
After the long ride, Kwame stalled his horse and made sure it had fresh water.
stall + animal — put in a stable compartment
The farmer stalled the cows each evening before milking them.
During the winter storm, all the sheep were stalled inside the barn for warmth.
文法句型
stall + animal (in stable)
用法筆記
Narrow farming/stable context. Not used for pets or wild animals. Frequently used in passive voice ('the horses were stalled').
7. When an aircraft loses the lift needed to stay in the air because the angle of t
When an aircraft loses the lift needed to stay in the air because the angle of the wings is too steep; or for a pilot to cause this to happen.
The small plane stalled during the training exercise, but the instructor quickly regained control.
stall (intransitive) — aircraft loses lift
New pilots learn how to recognize when a plane is about to stall and how to recover safely.
The trainee accidentally stalled the aircraft by pulling the nose up too sharply during takeoff.
文法句型
stall (intransitive — aircraft)
stall + aircraft (transitive — pilot)
用法筆記
Technical term in aviation. The stall does not mean the engine stops — it means the wings stop producing enough lift. Distinguish clearly from sense 1 (engine stall).
常見錯誤
stall — noun
1. A small shop or table with an open front, used for selling goods in a market, fa
A small shop or table with an open front, used for selling goods in a market, fair, or other public place.
Sofia bought fresh vegetables from a stall at the weekend farmers' market.
stall — a market stand
There is a small flower stall on the corner of Elm Street near the subway station.
The market has over fifty stalls selling everything from handmade jewelry to local cheese.
用法筆記
Very common word at markets, fairs, and festivals. 'Market stall' and 'food stall' are common compound nouns. British English uses this more broadly than American English (where 'stand' or 'booth' is often preferred).
2. A small enclosed area inside a stable or barn where a single farm animal such as
A small enclosed area inside a stable or barn where a single farm animal such as a horse or cow is kept.
Each horse has its own stall with fresh hay and a water bucket.
stall — single animal enclosure
Mei-Lin cleaned the cow stalls every morning before the sun came up.
The mare was resting quietly in her stall after giving birth to a foal.
- pen
outdoor enclosure, usually larger
- compartment
more general term
用法筆記
Refers specifically to the compartment, not the whole stable. The whole building is a 'stable' or 'barn'; individual areas inside are 'stalls'.
常見錯誤
3. A space inside a bigger room, created by putting up walls or curtains so that pe
A space inside a bigger room, created by putting up walls or curtains so that people can use it privately.
The library has private study stalls where students can work without distractions.
study stall — small partitioned area
Ravi changed into his swimsuit in one of the shower stalls at the pool.
shower stall — partitioned area for showering
The public restroom had six stalls, but only three were working.
- cubicle
more common for office workspaces
- compartment
more general
用法筆記
Common in compounds: 'shower stall', 'toilet stall', 'study stall'. In American English, 'bathroom stall' or 'restroom stall' is very common for toilet cubicles.
4. One of a row of fixed wooden seats with high sides in a church, typically arrang
One of a row of fixed wooden seats with high sides in a church, typically arranged facing the front.
The choir sat in the front stalls of the cathedral during the Christmas service.
choir stall — seat in a church
Each carved wooden stall in the chapel has a small kneeler and a prayer book.
The bishop's stall was decorated with intricate carvings of saints and angels.
用法筆記
Mostly used in British English in the context of traditional churches, cathedrals, and chapels. 'Stall' here refers to an individual seat with armrests, not a bench pew.
5. The seats on the main lower level of a theater or cinema, closest to the stage o
The seats on the main lower level of a theater or cinema, closest to the stage or screen.
We booked three stalls seats for the Saturday evening performance of the ballet.
stalls seats — main floor theater seats
The front stalls offer the best view of the stage, but they are also the most expensive.
Anong preferred sitting in the stalls rather than the balcony because she liked seeing the actors' faces.
- orchestra
American English equivalent
- main floor
American English equivalent
用法筆記
British English term. In American English, 'orchestra seats' or 'main floor' is used instead. Always plural ('the stalls') when referring to the area.
常見錯誤
6. A dangerous flight condition in which an aircraft's wings stop producing enough
A dangerous flight condition in which an aircraft's wings stop producing enough lift, causing the plane to drop suddenly.
The pilot recovered from the stall by lowering the nose of the aircraft.
stall — aerodynamic condition
All trainee pilots must practice stall recovery techniques in a flight simulator.
stall recovery — standard aviation training term
The safety report said the crash was caused by an aerodynamic stall at low altitude.
- loss of lift
descriptive non-technical phrase
- lift recovery
regaining normal flight
用法筆記
Technical aviation term. A stall is not an engine failure — it happens when the wing meets the air at too steep an angle. 'Stall speed' is the minimum speed needed to maintain lift.
常見錯誤
7. A trick or clever excuse used to delay someone or prevent progress, especially i
A trick or clever excuse used to delay someone or prevent progress, especially in negotiations or investigations.
The lawyer accused the company of using legal stalls to avoid paying compensation.
legal stall — tactic to delay
The manager's promise to 'look into it next week' was just a stall while the project ran over budget.
Omar recognized the proposal as a diplomatic stall, designed to buy time for the other side.
- delay tactic
more transparent, less negative
- stalling tactic
directly related
- ruse
implies deception more strongly
用法筆記
Less common than the verb senses. Often used in formal or journalistic contexts: 'political stall', 'legal stall', 'bureaucratic stall'.