hall

¹

[ hawl ]

noun

1. a corridor or passageway in a building.
2. the large entrance room of a house or building; vestibule; lobby.
3. a large room or building for public gatherings; auditorium:

   convention hall; concert hall.

4. a large building for residence, instruction, or other purposes, at a college or university.
5. a college at a university.
6. (in English colleges)
   1. a large room in which the members and students dine.
   2. dinner in such a room.
7. British. a mansion or large residence, especially one on a large estate.
8. British Informal. music hall.
9. the chief room in a medieval castle or similar structure, used for eating, sleeping, and entertaining.
10. the castle, house, or similar structure of a medieval chieftain or noble.
11. Southeastern U.S.: Older Use. the living room or family room of a house.

Hall

²

[ hawl ]

noun

1. A·saph [ey, -s, uh, f], 1829–1907, U.S. astronomer: discovered the satellites of Mars.
2. Charles Francis, 1821–71, U.S. Arctic explorer.
3. Charles Martin, 1863–1914, U.S. chemist, metallurgist, and manufacturer.
4. Donald, 1928–2018, U.S. poet and editor.
5. Granville Stanley, 1846–1924, U.S. psychologist and educator.
6. James Norman, 1887–1951, U.S. novelist.
7. (Marguerite) Rad·clyffe [rad, -klif], 1880–1943, English writer.
8. Prince, 1748?–1807, U.S. clergyman and abolitionist, born in Barbados: may have fought at Bunker Hill.

hall

¹

/ hɔːl /

noun

1. a room serving as an entry area within a house or building
2. sometimes capital a building for public meetings
3. often capital the great house of an estate; manor
4. a large building or room used for assemblies, worship, concerts, dances, etc
5. a residential building, esp in a university; hall of residence
6. 1. a large room, esp for dining, in a college or university
   2. a meal eaten in this room
7. the large room of a house, castle, etc
8. a passage or corridor into which rooms open
9. informal.
   often plural short for music hall

Hall

²

/ hɔːl /

noun

1. HallCharles Martin18631914MUSSCIENCE: chemist Charles Martin. 1863–1914, US chemist: discovered the electrolytic process for producing aluminium
2. HallSir John18241907MNew ZealandEnglishPOLITICS: statesmanPOLITICS: prime minister Sir John. 1824–1907, New Zealand statesman, born in England: prime minister of New Zealand (1879–82)
3. HallSir Peter1930MEnglishTHEATRE: stage director Sir Peter. born 1930, English stage director: director of the Royal Shakespeare Company (1960–73) and of the National Theatre (1973–88)
4. Hall(Margueritte) Radclyffe18831943MBritishWRITING: novelistWRITING: poet ( Margueritte ) Radclyffe . 1883–1943, British novelist and poet. Her frank treatment of a lesbian theme in the novel The Well of Loneliness (1928) led to an obscenity trial

Other Words From

• subhall noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of hall¹

before 900; Middle English; Old English heall; cognate with Old Norse hǫll, German Halle; akin to Old English helan to cover, hide, Latin cēlāre to hide ( conceal )

Word History and Origins

Origin of hall¹

Old English heall; related to Old Norse höll, Old High German halla hall, Latin cela cell ¹, Old Irish cuile cellar, Sanskrit śālā hut; see hell

Example Sentences

When the two met for the first time in the halls of the Institute, they immediately embraced, writes Zeldovich.

From Salon

Only the concerts in the main hall offered comfort.

From Los Angeles Times

In a town hall last year sponsored by News Nation, Kennedy complained that “experts” often end up on opposite sides of a debate, which he took as an indication that they shouldn’t be believed.

From Los Angeles Times

Inside a vast conference hall, journalists were reminded it was the team news conference for Spain - not solely the Nadal show.

From BBC

You could hear it being whispered in the breakfast hall of the Malaga hotel where travelling British fans were tucking into their Spanish tortilla.

From BBC

Related Words

• amphitheater
• arena
• auditorium
• ballroom
• chamber
• church
• gallery
• gym
• gymnasium
• lounge
• theater