Origin and history of stall

[place in a stable for animals] Middle English stalle, from Old English steall "standing place, any fixed place or position, state; place where cattle are kept, stable; fishing ground," from Proto-Germanic *stalli- (source also of Old Norse stallr "pedestal for idols, altar; crib, manger," Old Frisian stal, Old High German stall "stand, place, stable, stall," German Stall "stable," Stelle "place").

This is perhaps from PIE *stol-no-, suffixed form of root *stel- "to put, stand, put in order," with derivatives referring to a standing object or place. Compare stallion, install.

Several meanings, including that of "a stand for selling" (mid-13c., implied in stallage), probably are from (or influenced by) Anglo-French and Old French estal "station, position; stall of a stable; stall in a market; a standing still; a standing firm" (12c., Modern French étal "butcher's stall"). This, along with Italian stallo "place," stalla "stable" is a borrowing from a Germanic source from the same root as the native English word.

The sense of "booth or bench for selling merchandise, money-changing, etc." is by late 14c. The meaning "partially enclosed fixed seat in a choir" is attested from c. 1400; that of "urinal or divided compartment in a series in a lavatory" is by 1967. The word formerly was used more broadly; in Middle English, to stand stall was "to be of help or avail;" a homestall (Old English hamsteal) was a homestead, a finger-stall a thimble or finger of a glove.

[pretense or evasive story to avoid doing something] 1851, slang, earlier stall-off (1812), from the earlier sense of "thief's assistant" (1590s, Greene, "Conny Catching," also staller), especially a pick-pocket's assistant who diverts the attention of the victim and assists in the escape, from a variant of stale "bird used as a decoy to lure other birds" (early 15c.), from Anglo-French estale "decoy, pigeon used to lure a hawk" (13c., compare stool pigeon). The etymological sense is "standstill." It is from Old French estal "place, stand, stall," from Frankish *stal- "position," which is ultimately from Germanic and cognate with Old English steall (see stall (n.1)).

Compare Old English stælhran "decoy reindeer," German stellvogel "decoy bird." The figurative sense of "deception, means of allurement" is recorded by 1520s. Also compare stall (v.2).

The stallers up are gratified with such part of the gains acquired as the liberality of the knuckling gentlemen may prompt them to bestow. [J.H. Vaux, "Flash Dictionary," 1812]

[stop] c. 1400, stallen, "come to a stand" (intransitive); mid-15c., "become stuck or be set fast," especially in mud or mire; from Old French estale or Old English steall (see stall (n.1)).

The transitive sense of "place (someone) in (ecclesiastical) office, install" is from late 14c.; the specific sense of "place an animal in a stall" is by late 14c. In reference to engines or engine-powered vehicles, "enter a stall," it is attested from 1904 (transitive), 1914 (intransitive); in reference to an aircraft "lose lift," by 1910. Related: Stalled; stalling.

1590s, "distract a victim and thus screen a pickpocket from observation," from stall (n.2) in the sense of "decoy." The meaning "prevaricate, be evasive, play for time" is attested from 1903. Related: Stalled; stalling. Compare old slang stalling ken "house for receiving stolen goods" (1560s).

"action of losing lift, power, or motion," 1918 of aircraft, 1959 of automobile engines, from stall (v.1).