tall

American  

[tawl] / tɔl /

adjective

taller, tallest

1. having a relatively great height; of more than average stature: tall grass.

   a tall woman;

   tall grass.

   Antonyms:

   short

2. having stature or height as specified.

   a man six feet tall.

3. large in amount or degree; considerable.

   a tall price;

   Swinging that deal is a tall order.

4. extravagant; difficult to believe.

   a tall tale.

5. high-flown; grandiloquent.

   He engages in so much tall talk, one never really knows what he's saying.

6. having more than usual length; long and relatively narrow.

   He carried a tall walking stick.

7. (of a drink) consisting of liquor mixed with other ingredients and served in a large glass, as a cocktail.

   We watched as he put together a Mamie Taylor, a tall drink with Scotch, ginger beer, and lime.

8. Tall, (of beverages at Starbucks coffee shops) being of a small size equal to 12 ounces (354 milliliters).

9. Archaic. valiant.

10. Obsolete.

    1. seemly; proper.

    2. fine; handsome.

---

adverb

1. in a proud, confident, or erect manner: to walk tall.

   to stand tall;

   to walk tall.

noun

1. Tall, (at Starbucks coffee shops) a small size of beverage equal to 12 ounces (354 milliliters).

tall British  

/ tɔːl /

adjective

1. of more than average height

2. 1. (postpositive) having a specified height

      a woman five feet tall

   2. ( in combination )

      a twenty-foot-tall partition

3. informal exaggerated or incredible

   a tall story

4. informal difficult to accomplish

   a tall order

5. an archaic word for excellent

---

tall Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing tall

• walk tall

---

Related Words

See high.

Other Word Forms

• tallness noun

Etymology

Origin of tall

First recorded before 1000; Middle English: “big, bold, comely, proper, ready,” Old English getæl (plural getale ) “quick, ready, competent”; cognate with Old High German gizal “quick”

Example Sentences

The tall paceman bowled Brook with a yorker next ball, but did not celebrate wildly -- instead he immediately went to congratulate the England captain in a superb show of cricket sportmanship.

From Barron's

But it already faces competition as Australia's tallest building.

From BBC

Growing up, he was usually the tallest player on his youth team.

From Los Angeles Times

In effect, the cells act like sugar sponges under conditions similar to those found on the world's tallest mountains.

From Science Daily

The extra height now atop the Jesus Christ tower means the Barcelona basilica now surpasses Ulm Minster in Germany as the world's tallest church.

From Barron's

Related Words

• big
• great
• lanky
• rangy
• soaring
• towering