Tall

a. Also 4–7 tal, 4–6 talle, 6 tawl(l)e. [Of obscure history. Most prob. repr. (with loss of prefix) OE. ȝe-tæl (pl. ȝe-tale) swift, prompt = OHG. gizal, MHG. gezal quick. Cf. Goth. untals unaccommodating, uncompliant, disobedient, ONorthumb. untal evil, improper. For the phonology, cf. small:—OE. smæl.

  The sense-development is remarkable, but is paralleled more or less by that of other adjs. expressing estimation, as buxom, canny, clean, clever, cunning, deft, elegant, handsome, pretty, proper; Ger. klein, as compared with Eng. clean, presents the antithesis to mod. tall as compared with tall in early ME.

  It has been conjectured that in the sense ‘high of stature’ it is a different word, adopted from Welsh tal in same sense; but the latter is, according to Prof. Rhys, merely a 16th-c. borrowing of the Eng. word (in Owen Pughe’s Dictionary erroneously mixed up with the genuine Welsh sb. tal end, brow, forehead, with which it has no possible connection). The 15th-c. instance of the adj. cited by Pughe is prob. from sense 2 or 3 below.]

  I.  † 1. Quick, prompt, ready, active. Obs. rare.

  But the sense in both quots. is doubtful; in quot. c. 1374, tall has been taken by some as = ‘meek, docile’; quot. 1542 may belong to sense 2.

[c. 1000.  Ags. Ps. lvi. 5 (Th.). Wæron hyra tungan ȝetale teonan ȝehwylcre.]

c. 1374.  Chaucer, Compl. Mars, 38 (Harl. MS. 7333). Sche [Venus] made him [Mars] at hir lust [v.r. list] so humble & talle [v.rr. tal, tall; Fairf. MS. humble and calle; Tan. MS. humble in alle].

1530–1600.  [see 4].

1542.  Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 51. For lesse money … myght I bye a bondeman, that should dooe me tall & hable seruice.

  † 2.  Meet, becoming, seemly, proper, decent. Obs.

[Cf. c. 1350–c. 1440 s.v. TALLY adv.]

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 3098. Ho tentit not in tempull to no tall prayers, Ne no melody of mouthe made at þe tyme.

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 486/1. Tal, or semely, decens, elegans.

  † b.  Comely, goodly, fair, handsome; elegant, fine. Cf. PROPER a. 8. Obs.

c. 1450.  Cov. Myst., xxiii. (1841), 215. A fayre ȝonge qwene … Bothe ffresche and gay upon to loke, And a talle man with her dothe melle.

1451.  Paston Lett., I. 224. On of the tallest younge men of this parysch lyth syke.

1530.  Palsgr., 327/1. Talle … bel, as bel home.

c. 1592.  Marlowe, Jew of Malta, IV. iv. That such a base slave as he should be saluted by such a tall man as I am, from such a beautiful dame as you.

1656.  H. More, Enthus. Tri., 31. He was a tal proper man … but of a very pale wasted melancholy countenance.

  † 3.  Good at arms; stout or strong in combat; doughty, brave, bold, valiant. Cf. PRETTY 3 a.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 8574. Mageron … macchet with Achilles, Wold haue takon the talle kyng, & to toun led.

a. 1518.  Skelton, Magnyf., 821. Cou. Ab. I waraunt you I wyll not go away. Cra. Con. By Saynt Mary, he is a tawle man. Clo. Col. Ye, and do ryght good seruyce he can. Ibid. (a. 1529), Agst. Garnesche, I. 5. Syr Frollo de Franko was neuer halfe so talle.

a. 1548.  Hall, Chron., Hen. VI., 159. This capitayn [Jack Cade] … assembled together a great company of talle personages.

a. 1553.  Udall, Royster D., IV. viii. Now sirs, quite our selues like tall men and hardie.

1577.  Northbrooke, Agst. Dicing (1843), 8. If he can kil a man,… he is called a tall man, and a valiant man of his hands.

1591.  Greene, Art Conny Catch., III. (1592), 16. He that had done this tall exploit, in a place so open.

1598.  J. Dickenson, Greene in Conc. (1878), 137. With her tongue she was as tall a warriouresse as any of hir sexe.

a. 1604.  Hanmer, Chron. Irel. (1633), 126. Both sides lost many a tall man.

a. 1613.  Overbury, Ess. Valour, in Wife, etc. (1630), Q vj b. It makes a little fellow to be called a Tall man.

1641.  Prynne, Antip., 16. He like a tall fellow, thereupon interdicted the King, with the whole Realme.

1670.  Milton, Hist. Eng., II. Wks. (1847), 492/2. Telling the tall champions as a great encouragement, that with the Britons it was usual for women to be their leaders.

1820.  W. Irving, Sketch-Bk., John Bull (1865), 390. The old fellow’s spirit is as tall and as gallant as ever.

1825.  Scott, Betrothed, i. Beloved among the ‘tall men,’ or champions, of Wales.

  † 4.  Phrase tall of (his) hand(s: sometimes, (cf. sense 1) Ready, active, deft, skillful with (his) hands; dexterous, handy; sometimes, (cf. sense 3) Stout of arm, formidable with weapons. So tall of tongue, stout of speech or argument. Obs.

1530.  Palsgr., 784/1. He is a tall man of his handes,… cest ung habille homme de ses mains.

1589.  R. Harvey, Pl. Perc. (1590), A iij. They were neuer tall fellows of their hands that were such hacksters in the street.

1598.  Florio, Manesco, readie, nimble, or quicke-handed … a tall man of his hands.

1600.  Holland, Livy, II. xxxiii. 65. A Noble yoong gentleman, right politicke of advise, active besides, and tall of his hands [L. promptus manu]. Ibid., III. lxx. 136. Agrippa being a tall man of his handes [L. viribus ferox] and young withall,… caught the ensignes from the ensigne-bearers, advanced them forward his owne selfe. Ibid., XXI. xl. 415. Stout in heart, and tall of hand [L. vigens corpore].

1607.  Marston, What You Will, Induct. Goe stand to it; shew thyselfe a tall man of thy tongue.

1632.  Holland, Cyrupædia, 46. Swift I am not of foot, nor yet a tall man of my hands.

1633.  Harington, Epigr. (1634), II. 31.

  † 5.  Big, large, bulky. Obs. rare.

c. 1430.  Lydg., Min. Poems, 200. This fair floure of womanheed Hath too pappys also smalle, Bolsteryd out of lenghth and breed, Lyche a large campyng balle: There is no bagpipe half so talle,… Whan they been full of wynde at alle.

  II.  6. Of a person: High of stature; of more than average height. Usually appreciative. Also of animals, as a giraffe, stag, or the like. (Cf. ELEGANT a. 2 b = tall of stature.)

1530.  Palsgr., 327/1. Talle or hye … hault.

1538.  Elyot, Procerus, longe, talle.

1552.  Huloet, Talle or verye hyghe in personage aboue other.

1599.  Hakluyt, Voy., II. 256. The men are tall and slender.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Past., VII. 54. Fair Galatea,… Tall as a Poplar, taper as the Bole.

1719.  Young, Paraphr. Job, Wks. 1757, I. 215. Will the tall Reem … Low at the crib, and ask an alms of thee?

1796.  H. Hunter, trans. St. Pierre’s Stud. Nat. (1799), I. 398. Tall as giants, hairy like bears.

1858.  Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., V. v. I. 579. One Hohmann, a born Prussian, was so tall, you could not … touch his bare crown with your hand.

1861.  Hulme, trans. Moquin-Tandon, I. ii. 14. A man … is called tall when he is above 5.754 feet in height.

1886.  Ruskin, Præterita, I. vii. 210. A tall, handsome, and very finely made girl.

  b.  Having a specified or relative height; measuring in stature (so much): without implication of great height. (Cf. big, broad, high, etc.)

1588.  Shaks., L. L. L., V. i. 47. Costard. Which is the greatest Lady, the highest? Princess. The thickest, and the tallest.

1685.  Baxter, Paraphr. N. T., Matt. vi. 27. All your care cannot make you any taller of stature.

1732.  Macky, Mem., Charac. (ed. 2), 47. [Marquis of Hartington was] taller than a middle Stature.

1744.  Sarah Fielding, David Simple, II. iii. If a Man could make himself happy by imagining himself six Foot tall, tho’ he was but three.

1845.  G. P. R. James, Arrah Neil, ii. A good deal taller than his companion.

1853.  Visct. S. de Redcliffe, in Lane-Poole, Life, II. 242. He is … 6 ft. 3 in. tall.

Mod.  How tall are you? He is a little taller than his brother, but both are dwarfs.

  c.  absol. as sb. nonce-use.

1903.  Max Pemberton, Dr. Xavier, i. They want ‘talls’ for the first row and she’s just the height.

  7.  Of things, as ships, trees, mountains: High, lofty; esp. of things high in proportion to their width, as a tall chimney, column, house, mast, spire.

a. 1548.  Hall, Chron. Hen. IV., 32 b. Talle shippes furnished with vitayles municions and all thynges necessary.

1562.  Turner, Herbal, II. 6. There are two kyndes of ashes [trees], of y^e whiche the one is verye high & tawlle.

1582.  M. Phillips, in Hakl., Voy. (1589), 579. Two good tall ships of warre.

1615.  G. Sandys, Trav., 220. To be imbargued in two tall Ships, and a great Gallion.

1651.  Hartlib, Legacy, 131 You may drive a stake with them when you transplant them, to secure them stiffe against the winde; for that they will grow very tall in those years, and so be much exposed to the winds.

1655.  Stanley, Hist. Philos., III. (1701), 106/1. Above the tallest Hill or Wood.

1702.  Rowe, Tamerl., I. i. Yon tall Mountains That seem to reach the Clouds.

1715–20.  Pope, Iliad, XIII. 493. The mountain-oak, or poplar tall, Or pine, fit mast for some great admiral.

1784.  Cowper, Task, I. 450. Upon the ship’s tall side he stands, possess’d With visions prompted by intense desire.

1828.  W. Irving, Columbus, II. VII. iv. 178. Entered upon a great plain or savannah, covered with rank grass and herbage as tall as ripe corn, and destitute of any road or footpath.

1853.  G. P. R. James, Agnes Sorel, i. A tall house in the city of Paris.

1856.  Kane, Arct. Expl., I. xviii. 222. Its tallest summit near the water at thirteen hundred [feet].

1908.  Miss Fowler, Betw. Trent & Ancholme, 18. Where … the Fuchsias grow tall, up to the eaves.

  b.  Of more than average length measured from bottom to top, as a tall copy of a book, a tall folio. Tall hat, a silk hat with high cylindrical crown.

1608.  Topsell, Serpents (1658), 747. Very like a small and vulgar Lizard, except … their legs taller, and their tail longer.

1613.  Shaks., Hen. VIII., I. iii. 30. The faith they haue in Tennis and tall Stockings, Short blistred Breeches, and those types of Trauell.

a. 1704.  T. Brown, Lett. fr. Dead, II. i. Wks. 1720, II. 160. I … was to write Bills as tall as the Monument.

17[?].  John o’ Hazelgreen, v., in Child, Ballads, V. 163. Wi arms tall, and fingers small—He’s comely to be seen.

1819.  Scott, Lett. to Miss Edgeworth, 21 July, in Lockhart. A second edition of Walter Scott, a tall copy, as collectors say, and bound in Turkey leather.

1847.  L. Hunt, Men, Women & B., II. vi. 78. The charms of vellums, tall copies, and blind tooling.

1890.  ‘Ouida,’ Syrlin, xiv. They would go to Eton and wear ridiculous jackets and tall hats.

1918.  Drinkwater, Abraham Lincoln (1918), Sc. v. 91–2, Stage Direct. Lincoln, in top boots and tall hat that has seen many campaigns, shakes hands with Grant and takes Malins’s salute.

  c.  Applied distinctively to species or varieties of plants which grow higher than other species.

1835.  Hooker, Brit. Flora (ed. 3), 50. Festuca elatior, Tall Fescue grass.

1846.  J. Baxter, Libr. Pract. Agric. (ed. 4), I. 371. Tall oat-like soft grass, Holcus avenaceus.

1850.  Kingsley, Alt. Locke, xiv. The tender green of the tall rape, a plant till then unknown to me.

1861.  Miss Pratt, Flower. Pl., IV. 79. Tall Broom-rape … growing on the roots of the Great Knapweed.

1897–8.  Britton & Brown, Amer. Flora, Tall moss, Sedum acre.

  d.  absol. as sb.

1909.  19th Cent., Jan., 76. Two thirds gave plants divided into ‘talls’ and dwarfs.

  8.  fig. † a. Lofty, grand, eminent. Obs.

1655.  Stanley, Hist. Philos., I. (1701), 45/1. Who in tall Corinth and Pirene dwell.

1686.  W. De Britaine, Hum. Prudence, xix. 88. Princes may bestow the tallest Preferments, but they cannot make Men truly Honourable.

1701.  Watts, Horæ Lyr., III. Death T. Gunston, 187. The tall titles, insolent and proud.

1827.  Lamb, Lett. to B. Barton, in Final Mem., viii. 260. Thine briefly in a tall friendship, C. Lamb.

  b.  Grandiloquent, magniloquent; high-flown; esp. in tall talk (TALK sb. 5). colloq.

1670.  Eachard, Cont. Clergy, 39. Others … whose parts stand not so much towards tall words and lofty notions, but consist in … besprinkling all their sermons with plenty of Greek and Latin.

1763.  R. Lloyd, St. James’s Mag., III. Oct., 109.

1864.  Spectator, No. 1884. 911. The somewhat tall title of ‘Analysis and Synthesis in Painting.’

1869.  Routledge’s Ev. Boy’s Ann., 518. What the Yankees call ‘tall talk.’

1876.  C. M. Davies, Unorth. Lond., 55. Then succeeded the minister herself, whose prayer was ‘taller’ than the young girl’s.

1890.  Spectator, 3 May, 628/1. The diction is as impetuous as Niagara, as ‘tall’ as the Eiffel Tower.

  c.  Exaggerated, highly colored. U.S. colloq.

1843.  W. T. Porter, ed., The Big Bear of Arkansas, etc., 22. A ‘live Sucker’ from Illinois, who had the daring to say that our Arkansaw friend’s stories ‘smelt rather tall.’

1870.  Zoologist, V. 2350. The producers of what is called ‘tall writing.’

1891.  N. York Times, 26 Jan. (Cent. Dict.). A tall yarn about the Jews wanting to buy the Vatican copy of the Hebrew Bible.

1897.  Dublin Rev., Oct., 267. ‘Tall stories’ are the perquisite of every traveller.

1902.  Eliz. L. Banks, Newspaper Girl, 279. Nor do I think that there is anything ‘tall’ in this statement.

  d.  Large in amount, big. slang (orig. U.S.).

1842.  Dickens, Amer. Notes (1850), 131/2. We were a pretty tall time coming that last fifteen mile.

1884.  I. Bligh, in Lillywhite’s Cricket Ann., 4. G. B. Studd’s 19 including some tall hits.

1893.  F. Adams, New Egypt, 128. It’s a tall order, but it’s worth trying, isn’t it?

1902.  Westm. Gaz., 13 Feb., 12/2. America is the land of ‘tall’ things, and this is certainly a ‘tall’ drink for twenty-five persons.

1905.  Sat. Rev., 24 June, 825. Usurping the functions of the King is rather a ‘tall order’ for a private M.P.

  † 9.  fig. Great, eminent (at something). Obs.

1591.  Lodge, Diogenes in his Singularitie (Hunter. Cl.), 29. Verie earnest to prooue himselfe a tall a b c Clearke, he read on [etc.].

1646.  G. Daniel, Poems, Wks. (Grosart), I. 83. A hundred Rhiming Fellowes, that have bin Tall Men at Meeter.

1662.  Cokaine, Trag. Ovid, IV. vi. Though she’s but little, she’s a tall woman at a Trencher.

  b.  Great in quality, excellent, good, first-class. (U.S. slang.)

1835–40.  Haliburton, Clockm. (1862), 530. Won’t it be tall feedin’ at Queen’s table, that’s all.

1847.  Robb, Squatter Life (Bartlett). I didn’t estimate him very tall.

1852.  Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., xxxvii. They … make jist the tallest kind o’ broth and knicknacks.

  B.  quasi-adv. In a tall manner; elatedly, proudly; to walk tall, to carry one’s head high. Also comb., as tall-talking.

1831.  New Sporting Mag., I. June, 401. The way it makes sister Sal walk tall is a caution.

1846.  T. B. Thorpe, Myst. Backwoods, 131 (Bartlett). I will walk tall into varmint and Indian.

1860.  Thackeray, Round. Papers, De finibus (1862), 282. The sin of grandiloquence, or tall-talking.

1869.  Mrs. Stowe, Oldtown Folks, vi. (1870), 65. I’m ’mazing proud on ’t. I tell you I walk tall.

  C.  Comb.: parasynthetic, as tall-bodied (having a tall body), -elmed, -masted, -necked, -sceptred, -treed, -tussocked, -wheeled, etc.; quasi-advb., as tall-growing, -sitting; † tall-sail (tal-sail) = TOPSAIL.

14[?].  Siege Jerus., 289. Þey tyȝten vp tal-sail [v.r. topsaill], whan þe tide asked, Hadde byr at þe bake, & þe bonke lefte.

c. 1725.  Armstrong, Imit. Shaks., 6 Misc. 1770, I. 147. A blast so shrewd makes the tall-bodied pines Unsinew’d bend.

1855.  Bailey, Spiritual Leg., in Mystic, etc., 105. Tall-sceptred law, and loin-girt liberty.

1877.  Furnivall, Leopold Shaks., Introd. 117. You ride through Charlecote’s tall-elmd park.

1886.  P. S. Robinson, Valley Teet. Trees, 63. The tall-tussocked grass of the waste lands.

1897.  Westm. Gaz., 6 July, 2/1. A very tall-sitting lady, with a tremendous matinée hat, sat down in front of me.

1908.  Miss Fowler, Betw. Trent & Ancholme, 203. Sun-flowers, and other succulent tall-growing things.

1911.  Edith O’Shaughnessy, Diplomatic Days (1917), 12 July, vi. 79. The Becks—who are charmingly situated in a huge old house surrounded by a great, tall-treed garden, and filled with lovely old things.