Stall vs. Tall — What's the Difference?
By Fiza Rafique & Urooj Arif — Updated on April 17, 2024
Stall refers to a compartment for merchandise or animals, while tall describes greater-than-average height in objects or individuals.
Difference Between Stall and Tall
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A stall is primarily a small space or compartment used for specific purposes like selling goods or housing animals, often found in markets or barns. On the other hand, tall is an adjective used to describe the physical height of an object or a person, emphasizing vertical measurement that exceeds the norm.
Stalls serve a functional role in various settings, such as providing a confined area for animals in agriculture or a booth for vendors in markets. Whereas, describing something or someone as tall focuses on physical attributes, particularly height, which can be relative to the context or in comparison to a general standard.
The concept of a stall is linked to utility and spatial design, intended to organize, contain, or display. On the other hand, tall is purely descriptive, relating to physical stature and often perceived positively in social or aesthetic contexts.
Stalls can be temporary or permanent structures and are adaptable based on their use, from market stalls to horse stalls. In contrast, tall is a fixed descriptor that does not change unless the relative dimensions or perspectives change.
While a stall can be found in a variety of environments tailored to either commercial or agricultural needs, the adjective tall is used universally, applicable to people, trees, buildings, and more, without any specific association to function or purpose.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A fixed or movable compartment
Having greater height than average
Usage
Functional space in markets or barns
Descriptive of height in various contexts
Context
Commercial, agricultural
General, applicable to many objects
Changeability
Can be temporary or permanent
Fixed characteristic unless perspective changes
Associated Terms
Market stall, horse stall
Tall person, tall building
Compare with Definitions
Stall
A booth or compartment for the sale of goods in a market.
She rented a stall at the local farmers' market.
Tall
Having a greater height than average.
She is the tallest in her family.
Stall
A small area in a barn for housing horses.
The new horse was led to its stall.
Tall
Exaggerated or improbable, often used to describe tales or stories.
He told a tall tale about his travels.
Stall
To stop running, usually unexpectedly (engine or vehicle).
My car stalled in the middle of the highway.
Tall
Long and difficult to traverse or complete.
It was a tall order to finish the project in one week.
Stall
A tactic to delay or prevent a decision or action.
He stalled for time during the negotiation.
Tall
Lofty in tone or style.
His ambitions were as tall as the skyscrapers.
Stall
An instance of an aircraft losing lift.
The pilot managed to recover from the stall and regain control.
Tall
High in stature or growth.
The tall trees shaded the entire backyard.
Stall
A compartment for one domestic animal in a barn or shed.
Tall
Of great or more than average height, especially (with reference to an object) relative to width
A tall, broad-shouldered man
A tall glass of iced tea
Stall
A booth, cubicle, or stand used by a vendor, as at a market.
Tall
Having greater than ordinary height
A tall woman.
Stall
A small compartment
A shower stall.
Tall
Having considerable height, especially in relation to width; lofty
Tall trees.
Stall
An enclosed seat in the chancel of a church.
Tall
Having a specified height
A plant three feet tall.
Stall
A pew in a church.
Tall
(Informal) Fanciful or exaggerated; boastful
Tall tales of heroic exploits.
Stall
Chiefly British A seat in the front part of a theater.
Tall
Impressively great or difficult
A tall order to fill.
Stall
A space marked off, as in a garage, for parking a motor vehicle.
Tall
(Obsolete) Excellent; fine.
Stall
A protective sheath for a finger or toe.
Tall
With proud bearing; straight
Stand tall.
Stall
The sudden, unintended loss of power or effectiveness in an engine.
Tall
(of a person) Having a vertical extent greater than the average. For example, somebody with a height of over 6 feet would generally be considered to be tall.
Being tall is an advantage in basketball.
Stall
A condition in which an aircraft or airfoil experiences an interruption of airflow resulting in loss of lift and a tendency to drop.
Tall
(of a building, etc.) Having its top a long way up; having a great vertical (and often greater than horizontal) extent; high.
Stall
A ruse or tactic used to mislead or delay.
Tall
(of a story) Hard to believe, such as a tall story or a tall tale.
Stall
To put or lodge in a stall.
Tall
Smaller than grande, usually 8 ounces (~ 230 ml).
Stall
To maintain in a stall for fattening
To stall cattle.
Tall
(obsolete) Obsequious; obedient.
Stall
To halt the motion or progress of; bring to a standstill.
Tall
(obsolete) Seemly; suitable; fitting, becoming, comely; attractive, handsome.
Stall
To cause (a motor or motor vehicle) accidentally to stop running.
Tall
(obsolete) Bold; brave; courageous; valiant.
Stall
To cause (an aircraft) to go into a stall.
Tall
(archaic) Fine; proper; admirable; great; excellent.
Stall
To live or be lodged in a stall. Used of an animal.
Tall
Someone or something that is tall.
Stall
To stick fast in mud or snow.
Tall
A clothing size for taller people.
Do you have this in a tall?
Stall
To come to a standstill
Negotiations stalled.
Tall
A tall serving of a drink, especially one from Starbucks, which contains 12 ounces.
Stall
To stop running as a result of mechanical failure
The car stalled on the freeway.
Tall
High in stature; having a considerable, or an unusual, extension upward; long and comparatively slender; having the diameter or lateral extent small in proportion to the height; as, a tall person, tree, or mast.
Two of far nobler shape, erect and tall.
Stall
To lose forward flying speed, causing a stall. Used of an aircraft.
Tall
Brave; bold; courageous.
As tall a trenchermanAs e'er demolished a pye fortification.
His companions, being almost in despair of victory, were suddenly recomforted by Sir William Stanley, which came to succors with three thousand tall men.
Stall
To employ delaying tactics against
Stall off creditors.
Tall
Fine; splendid; excellent; also, extravagant; excessive.
Stall
To employ delaying tactics
Stalling for time.
Tall
Great in vertical dimension; high in stature;
Tall people
Tall buildings
Tall trees
Tall ships
Stall
(countable) A compartment for a single animal in a stable or cattle shed.
Tall
Lofty in style;
He engages in so much tall talk, one never really realizes what he is saying
Stall
A stable; a place for cattle.
Tall
Impressively difficult;
A tall order
Stall
A bench or table on which small articles of merchandise are exposed for sale.
Tall
Too improbable to admit of belief;
A tall story
Stall
(countable) A small open-fronted shop, for example in a market, food court, etc.
Stall
A very small room used for a shower or a toilet.
Stall
(countable) A seat in a theatre close to and (about) level with the stage; traditionally, a seat with arms, or otherwise partly enclosed, as distinguished from the benches, sofas, etc.
Stall
(Germanic paganism) An Heathen altar, typically an indoor one, as contrasted with a more substantial outdoor harrow.
Stall
A seat in a church, especially one next to the chancel or choir, reserved for church officials and dignitaries.
Stall
A church office that entitles the incumbent to the use of a church stall.
Stall
A sheath to protect the finger.
Stall
(mining) The space left by excavation between pillars.
Stall
(Canadian) A parking stall; a space for a vehicle in a parking lot or parkade.
Stall
An action that is intended to cause, or actually causes, delay.
His encounters with security, reception, the secretary, and the assistant were all stalls until the general manager's attorney arrived.
Stall
(aeronautics) Loss of lift due to an airfoil's critical angle of attack being exceeded, normally occurring due to low airspeed.
Stall
(transitive) To put (an animal, etc.) in a stall.
To stall an ox
Stall
To fatten.
To stall cattle
Stall
(obsolete) To live in, or as if in, a stall; to dwell.
Stall
To place in an office with the customary formalities; to install.
Stall
To forestall; to anticipate.
Stall
To keep close; to keep secret.
Stall
(transitive) To employ delaying tactics against.
He stalled the creditors as long as he could.
Stall
(intransitive) To employ delaying tactics; to stall for time.
Soon it became clear that she was stalling to give him time to get away.
Stall
(intransitive) To come to a standstill.
Stall
(transitive) To cause to stop making progress; to hinder; to slow down; to delay or forestall.
Stall
To exceed the critical angle of attack, resulting in loss of lift.
Stall
To cause to exceed the critical angle of attack, resulting in loss of lift.
The pilot stalled the plane by pulling the nose up too high at a slow airspeed.
Stall
To plunge into mire or snow so as not to be able to get on; to set; to fix.
To stall a cart
Stall
To stop suddenly.
Stall
To cause the engine of a manual-transmission car or truck to stop by going too slowly for the selected gear.
Stall
(obsolete) To be stuck, as in mire or snow; to stick fast.
Stall
(obsolete) To be tired of eating, as cattle.
Stall
A stand; a station; a fixed spot; hence, the stand or place where a horse or an ox is kept and fed; the division of a stable, or the compartment, for one horse, ox, or other animal.
Stall
A stable; a place for cattle.
At last he found a stall where oxen stood.
Stall
A small apartment or shed in which merchandise is exposed for sale; as, a butcher's stall; a bookstall.
Stall
A bench or table on which small articles of merchandise are exposed for sale.
How peddlers' stalls with glittering toys are laid.
Stall
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 dignified clergy, out of humility, have called their thrones by the names of stalls.
Loud the monks sang in their stalls.
Stall
In the theater, a seat with arms or otherwise partly inclosed, as distinguished from the benches, sofas, etc.
Stall
The space left by excavation between pillars. See Post and stall, under Post.
Stall
A covering or sheath, as of leather, horn, of iron, for a finger or thumb; a cot; as, a thumb stall; a finger stall.
Cries the stall reader, "Bless us! what a word onA titlepage is this!"
Stall
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.
Stall
To fatten; as, to stall cattle.
Stall
To place in an office with the customary formalities; to install.
Stall
To plunge into mire or snow so as not to be able to get on; to set; to fix; as, to stall a cart.
His horses had been stalled in the snow.
Stall
To forestall; to anticipate.
This is not to be stall'd by my report.
Stall
To keep close; to keep secret.
Stall this in your bosom.
Stall
To live in, or as in, a stall; to dwell.
We could not stall togetherIn the whole world.
Stall
To kennel, as dogs.
Stall
To be set, as in mire or snow; to stick fast.
Stall
To be tired of eating, as cattle.
Stall
A compartment in a stable where a single animal is confined and fed
Stall
Small area set off by walls for special use
Stall
A booth where articles are displayed for sale
Stall
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
Stall
Small individual study area in a library
Stall
A tactic used to mislead or delay
Stall
Postpone doing what one should be doing;
He did not want to write the letter and procrastinated for days
Stall
Come to a stop;
The car stalled in the driveway
Stall
Deliberately delay an event or action;
She doesn't want to write the report, so she is stalling
Stall
Put into, or keep in, a stall;
Stall the horse
Stall
Experience a stall in flight, of airplanes
Stall
Cause an airplane to go into a stall
Stall
Cause an engine to stop;
The inexperienced driver kept stalling the car
Common Curiosities
What is a stall used for?
A stall is used for displaying goods for sale or housing animals.
How does one describe someone as tall?
A person is described as tall if they have a height that is greater than the average for their age or gender.
Is it common for stalls to be portable?
Yes, many stalls, especially in markets, are designed to be portable for easy setup and dismantling.
What are some synonyms for tall?
Some synonyms for tall include lofty, high, and towering.
Can the term stall apply to situations besides markets and barns?
Yes, stall can also refer to an engine stopping unexpectedly or a delay tactic in decision-making.
How does a stall function in an airplane?
In aviation, a stall occurs when an airplane loses the lift necessary to sustain flight, often due to insufficient airspeed.
What is considered tall for a person?
What is considered tall can vary based on regional averages, but it generally means being in the top 20th percentile of height.
Can buildings be described as tall?
Yes, buildings are often described as tall when they significantly exceed typical heights in their surrounding area.
Are there different types of stalls?
Yes, there are various types of stalls including market stalls, food stalls, and livestock stalls in barns.
What does a tall order mean?
A tall order is an idiom meaning a task that is difficult to accomplish.
What are common characteristics of tall people?
Besides their height, tall people might have longer limbs and sometimes encounter specific challenges like finding clothes or fitting into certain spaces.
Do all markets have stalls?
Most traditional markets are composed of stalls where vendors sell their goods, though some modern markets might use different setups.
How does the concept of tall relate to culture?
In many cultures, being tall is associated with positive attributes like leadership and attractiveness, although cultural perceptions can vary widely.
Is there a maximum height for something to be considered tall?
There is no specific maximum height; 'tall' is relative and can depend on context.
Can stalls be used for events?
Yes, stalls are commonly used at fairs, exhibitions, and other events for sales and displays.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
