tall
tall Lexical Profile
tall Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Of great or more than average height, especially relative to width.
"The basketball player was so tall that he had to duck through the doorway."
Having a specified height from bottom to top.
"The ancient oak tree in the courtyard is nearly sixty feet tall."
Exaggerated, improbable, or difficult to believe, or demanding great effort to fulfill.
"Completing the entire software migration by Friday is a tall order for such a small team."
• adverb
In an upright, proud, or confident posture or manner.
"Despite the disappointing defeat, the athletes stood tall and congratulated their opponents."
Word Nuance & Usage
'Tall' is generally used for people, trees, and objects whose height is significantly greater than their width, whereas 'high' is preferred for wide geographical features (such as mountains or walls) and measurements above the ground.
• Rhymes for tall
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English getæl ('swift, prompt, ready'), which evolved in Middle English to mean 'handsome, fine, or valiant,' before narrowing in the 16th century to its modern sense of physical height.