or tall talk (story or yarn), subs. phr. (common).—Extravagant speech; a pedantic use of long words; high-falutin (q.v.). Also as verb.
1874. The Saturday Review, Feb., 280. [With regard to words like ‘psithurism,’ ‘cheirognomy,’ ‘scintillating eyes,’ ‘the phaesimbrotous sun’] perhaps they have been grown so accustomed to BIG TALK that, etc.
1891. New York Times, 26 Jan. A TALL YARN about the Jews wanting to buy the Vatican copy of the Hebrew Bible.
1899. KERNAHAN, Scoundrels & Co., xv. The M. P.’s and other public men who TALK TALL about the sacredness of labour.
