Tall

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /tɔːl/
• US IPA: /tÉ”l/
• cot-caught IPA: /tÉ‘l/
• Rhymes: -ɔːl

Origin

From Middle English tall, talle, tal ("seemly, becoming, excellent, good, valiant, bold, great"), from Old English *tæl, ġetæl ("swift, ready, having mastery of"), from Proto-Germanic *talaz ("submissive, pliable"), from Proto-Indo-European *dol-, *del- ("to aim, calculate, adjust, reckon"). Cognate with Scots tal ("high, lofty, tall"), Old Frisian tel ("swift"), Old Saxon gital ("quick"), Old High German gizal ("active, agile"), Gothic 𐌿𐌽𐍄𐌰𐌻𐍃 (untals, "indocile, disobedient").

Full definition of tall

Adjective

1. (obsolete) Obsequious; obedient.
2. (obsolete) Seemly; suitable; fitting, becoming, comely; attractive, handsome.
3. (obsolete) Bold; brave; courageous; valiant.
4. (archaic) Fine; proper; admirable; great; excellent.
5. (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.
• 1898, Winston Churchill, The Celebrity Chapter 5, Then came a maid with hand-bag and shawls, and after her a tall young lady. She stood for a moment holding her skirt above the grimy steps,..., and the light of the reflector fell full upon her.
6. (of a building, etc.) Having its top a long way up; having a great vertical (and often greater than horizontal) extent; high.
7. (of a story) Hard to believe, such as a tall story or a tall tale.
8. (chiefly US, of a cup of coffee) A cup of coffee smaller than grande, usually 8 ounces.

Antonyms

• (of a person) short
• (of a building) short, low, low-rise

Derived terms