stalls
stalls — 動詞
1. an engine or vehicle that stalls suddenly stops operating, often because the mot
熄火；引擎失速
引擎突然停止運轉
an engine or vehicle that stalls suddenly stops operating, often because the motor is not receiving enough fuel or power; a driver can also cause this to happen by mistake
Theo's car stalled at the traffic lights and he could not restart it.
Theo 的車在紅綠燈前熄火了，他無法重新發動。
intransitive: [vehicle] stalls at [place]
Mei-Lin stalled the engine twice while trying to park on the narrow street.
Mei-Lin 在窄路上停車時，引擎熄火了兩次。
transitive: stall + engine
The old motorcycle stalled in the middle of the bridge during the morning rain.
那輛老舊摩托車在清晨雨中在橋中央熄火了，進退不得。
A learner driver stalled his van at the junction and felt very embarrassed.
一名學習駕駛的司機在路口把廂型車開到熄火，覺得非常尷尬。
- start
to begin running, opposite of stalling
文法句型
stall [engine/vehicle]
[engine] stalls
用法筆記
Commonly used intransitively of the engine itself (the engine stalls) or transitively when someone causes it (she stalled the car). Frequent in driving contexts.
常見錯誤
2. to hold back from answering or taking action, especially in a way that creates e
拖延；迴避
故意拖延以爭取時間
to hold back from answering or taking action, especially in a way that creates extra time to decide or gain an advantage
The politician stalled for time by asking the reporter to repeat the question.
那位政治人物請記者重複問題，藉此爭取時間。
stall + for time
When Kenji asked about the deadline, Amara stalled and promised to reply next week.
Kenji 問起截止日期時，Amara 含糊其詞，說下週再回覆。
The company is stalling on the contract while they wait for cheaper materials from a new supplier.
該公司在合約上拖延，等待供應商提供更便宜的材料。
Instead of answering the landlord's question about the rent, Yuki stalled by changing the subject.
Yuki 沒有回答房東關於租金的問題，而是轉移話題來拖延。
- delay
more neutral, can be transitive or intransitive
- procrastinate
implies putting off a task deliberately, more formal
- act
to take action instead of delaying
文法句型
stall + for + [time]
stall + on + [decision/subject]
用法筆記
Intransitive only; you cannot 'stall someone' in this sense. The object is always a time period (for time, for a week) or a topic (on the issue, on the decision).
常見錯誤
3. to deliberately prevent someone from doing something or make them wait, often by
耽擱；阻延
用藉口耽誤他人
to deliberately prevent someone from doing something or make them wait, often by giving excuses or distracting them
The receptionist stalled the visitors while the manager prepared for the meeting.
櫃檯人員拖延訪客，讓經理有時間準備會議。
transitive: stall + person
Javier stalled his creditors by claiming the payment was already in the mail.
Javier 向債權人謊稱款項已經寄出，藉此拖延。
Fatima tried to stall the security guard long enough for her friend to escape through the back door.
Fatima 試圖拖住警衛，好讓她的朋友從後門逃脫。
The lawyer accused the company of stalling the investigators with unnecessary paperwork requests.
律師指控該公司以不必要的文件要求來拖延調查人員。
- expedite
to speed up a process or person
文法句型
stall + [person]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 2: this sense requires a person as object (transitive), whereas sense 2 is intransitive and always about delaying an action or decision.
常見錯誤
4. to make a process, event, or series of talks stop making progress, or to be prev
停滯；阻礙
使進程無法繼續
to make a process, event, or series of talks stop making progress, or to be prevented from advancing
The peace talks stalled after neither side agreed to the ceasefire terms.
和平會談因雙方拒絕接受停火條件而陷入停滯。
intransitive: [talks/process] stall
A lack of funding stalled the construction project for nearly six months.
資金不足使建築專案停擺了將近六個月。
transitive: [factor] stalls + [project]
Negotiations stalled when the union rejected the company's latest salary offer.
工會拒絕公司的最新薪資提案後，協商陷入僵局。
The government's new policy was stalled by opposition from three key ministers.
政府的新政策遭到三位關鍵部長反對，因而受阻。
文法句型
stall + [event/process]
[negotiations/talks] stall
用法筆記
Often used with abstract subjects like 'talks', 'negotiations', 'progress', 'a project', or 'a career'. The passive form (be stalled by + reason) is common.
常見錯誤
stalls — 名詞
1. a small shop or open-fronted table from which goods are sold, usually in a marke
攤位；貨攤
市場中販賣商品的攤子
a small shop or open-fronted table from which goods are sold, usually in a market, street fair, or other public area
Every Saturday the market square fills with stalls selling fresh fruit and vegetables.
每到星期六，市集廣場就擺滿了賣新鮮蔬果的攤位。
plural: stalls selling [goods]
Linnea rented a stall at the craft fair to sell her handmade jewellery.
Linnea 在手工藝市集租了一個攤位，販售她自製的珠寶首飾。
The flower stall on the corner of the street has the best roses in the neighbourhood.
街角的花攤賣的玫瑰是附近最漂亮的。
Dmitri bought a sandwich from a food stall near the train station.
Dmitri 在火車站附近的一個小吃攤買了一份三明治。
At the winter market, each stall was decorated with colourful lights and warm blankets.
冬季市集裡，每個攤位都掛滿彩色燈飾和暖毯。
用法筆記
Countable. Often used in compound nouns describing the type of goods sold: 'food stall', 'market stall', 'book stall', 'flower stall'. Common in both singular (a stall) and plural (stalls).
常見錯誤
2. a small enclosed space within a farm building or stable where a single animal, e
畜欄；隔間
農舍中圈養單一動物的區域
a small enclosed space within a farm building or stable where a single animal, especially a horse or cow, is kept
Each horse has its own stall inside the stable with fresh straw on the floor.
每匹馬在馬廄裡都有各自的隔間，地板鋪著新鮮乾草。
[animal] + stall + in/inside + [stable/barn]
Oluwaseun cleaned the cow stalls every morning before milking the herd.
Oluwaseun 每天早上擠奶前都會清理牛欄。
The mare was restless in her stall because she could hear the other horses in the paddock.
那匹母馬在欄裡不安地踱步，因為牠聽到其他馬在圍場裡的聲音。
The farmer built new stalls for the goats using wooden boards and metal gates.
農夫用木板和金屬閘門為山羊搭建了新的畜欄。
- pen
usually outdoor and larger, for multiple animals
- compartment
more general, less specific to farming
用法筆記
Distinguish from 'stable' (the whole building) and 'pen' (outdoor enclosure). A stall is specifically an individual compartment, usually indoors. Common in farming contexts.
3. a small section of a room that is partly separated from the surrounding space by
隔間；小間
房間內用牆或簾子隔出的小空間
a small section of a room that is partly separated from the surrounding space by partitions, screens, or curtains
The public bathroom had six shower stalls, but only three of them had working hot water.
公共浴室裡有六間淋浴隔間，但只有三間有熱水。
[type] stall: shower stall
Wei changed into his swimming trunks inside a changing stall at the pool.
Wei 在游泳池的更衣間裡換上泳褲。
The office used to be open-plan, but now each desk is inside its own glass-walled stall.
那間辦公室原本是開放式設計，但現在每張辦公桌都有玻璃隔間。
Hana hung her towel on the hook inside the toilet stall and locked the door.
Hana 把毛巾掛在廁所隔間裡的掛鉤上，然後鎖上門。
- cubicle
more common for office workspaces, interchangeable for bathrooms
- compartment
more formal, used for trains, storage
用法筆記
Most common in compounds: 'shower stall', 'toilet stall', 'changing stall'. In an office context, 'cubicle' is more common in American English.
常見錯誤
4. one of a row of fixed wooden seats with high sides and a back, found in a church
教堂座位；詩班席
教堂內有椅背側板的固定座位
one of a row of fixed wooden seats with high sides and a back, found in a church or cathedral, typically used by the choir or clergy
The choir sat in the carved oak stalls at the front of the cathedral during the Sunday service.
詩班坐在大教堂前方雕花橡木的座位上參加主日禮拜。
plural: stalls in church context
Each medieval stall in the chapel was decorated with intricate carvings of leaves and animals.
教堂裡每個中世紀座位的側板上都刻有精緻的樹葉和動物圖案。
Priya admired the beautiful wooden stalls where the monks had sung their prayers for centuries.
Priya 欣賞著那些美麗的木製座位，修士們曾在這裡吟唱禱文數世紀之久。
The bishop rose from his stall to address the congregation gathered in the nave.
主教從他的座位上站起來，向聚集在中殿的會眾說話。
用法筆記
Often used in the plural ('choir stalls', 'the stalls') to refer to the whole row. Individual stalls are identified by carved details and were historically reserved for clergy, choir members, or important figures.
5. the section of seating on the lowest level of a theatre or cinema, nearest to th
前排座位；正廳
劇院或電影院一樓的座位區
the section of seating on the lowest level of a theatre or cinema, nearest to the performance area and on the same floor height
We booked seats in the stalls because we wanted to be close to the stage.
我們訂了正廳的座位，因為我們想靠近舞臺。
British: the stalls = ground-floor seating
Theatre tickets for the stalls cost more than those in the balcony or the dress circle.
劇院正廳的票價比包廂或樓座的票價還高。
Carlos could see the actors' expressions perfectly from his seat in the front row of the stalls.
Carlos 坐在正廳第一排，能清楚看見演員的表情。
The cinema has three seating sections: the stalls, the mezzanine, and the balcony.
這家電影院有三個座位區：正廳、中層包廂和樓座。
- orchestra
American English equivalent
- ground floor seats
descriptive, neutral term
用法筆記
Primarily British English. In American English, the equivalent is 'orchestra' or 'orchestra seats'. Always used in the plural ('the stalls', 'in the stalls').