stall

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 [C] a table or small shop with an open front that people sell things from, especially at a market SYNSTAND: a market stall * They have a fish stall on the market. * Drinks were being sold from makeshift stalls at the side of the road. seealsoBOOKSTALL 2 [C] a section inside a farm building that is large enough for one animal to be kept in: a cattle / pig stall 3 [C] (especially AmE) a small enclosed area of a room that contains a shower or toilet 4 (the stalls) [pl.] (BrE) (AmE the orchestra [sing.]) the seats that are nearest to the stage in a theatre: the front row of the stalls 5 [C,usually pl.] the seats at the front of a church where the CHOIR (= singers) and priests sit 6 [C,usually sing.] a situation in which a vehicle's engine suddenly stops because it is not getting enough power 7 [C,usually sing.] a situation in which an aircraft loses speed and goes steeply downwards: The plane went into a stall. verb 1 (of a vehicle or an engine) to stop suddenly because of a lack of power or speed; to make a vehicle or engine do this: [V] The car stalled and refused to start again. * I kept stalling. * [VN] I stalled the car three times during my driving test. 2 [V] ~ (on / over sth) to try to avoid doing sth or answering a question so that you have more time: They are still stalling on the deal. * 'What do you mean?' she asked, stalling for time. * The opposition party was angered by the Prime Minister's stalling tactics. 3 [VN] to make sb wait so that you have more time to do sth: See if you can stall her while I finish searching her office. 4 to stop sth from happening until a later date; to stop making progress: [VN] attempts to revive the stalled peace plan * [V] Discussions have once again stalled.