Webster's English Dictionary

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stall

1. stall \'sto.l\ n [ME, fr. OE steall; akin to OHG stal place, stall, L 
   locus (O]L stlocus) place, Gk stellein to set up, place, send 1a: a 
   compartment for a domestic animal in a stable or barn  1b: a space marked 
   off for parking a motor vehicle  2a: a seat in the chancel of a church with 
   back and sides wholly or partly  enclosed 2b: a church pew  Brit  2c: a 
   front orchestra seat in a theater  3: a booth, stand, or counter at which 
   articles are displayed for sale  4: a protective sheath for a finger or toe 
   : COT  5: a small compartment {a shower ~} 
2. stall vt 1a: to put into or keep in a stall  archaic  1b: to fatten by 
   stall-feeding  obs  2: to install in office  3a: to bring to a standstill : 
   BLOCK; esp : MIRE  3b: to cause (an engine) to stop usu. inadvertently  3c: 
   to cause (an airplane or airfoil) to go into a stall  1: to come to a 
   standstill (as from mired wheels or engine failure)  2: to experience a 
   stall in flying 
3. stall n : the condition of an airfoil or airplane operating so that 
   there is a flo w breakdown and loss of lift with a tendency to drop
4. stall n [alter. of stale (lure)] : a ruse to deceive or delay 
5. stall vi : to play for time : DELAY to hold off, divert, or delay by 
   evasi on or deception