HALL • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Hall

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/hɔl/ Listen

noun

Hall n.

1.

A building or room of considerable size and stateliness, used for public purposes; as, Westminster Hall, in London.

2.

(a)

The chief room in a castle or manor house, and in early times the only public room, serving as the place of gathering for the lord's family with the retainers and servants, also for cooking and eating. It was often contrasted with the bower, which was the private or sleeping apartment. "Full sooty was her bower and eke her hall." Hence, as the entrance from outside was directly into the hall:

(b)

A vestibule, entrance room, etc., in the more elaborated buildings of later times. Hence:

(c)

Any corridor or passage in a building.

3.

A name given to many manor houses because the magistrate's court was held in the hall of his mansion; a chief mansion house.

4.

A college in an English university (at Oxford, an unendowed college).

5.

The apartment in which English university students dine in common; hence, the dinner itself; as, hall is at six o'clock.

6.

Cleared passageway in a crowd; formerly an exclamation. (Obs.) "A hall! a hall!"

Synonyms: Entry; court; passage. See Vestibule.

See images of 'Hall'

Etymology of 'Hall'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Hall" Quotes from Famous Books

... while the one who had charge of Elsie led her away in another direction. The next moment Elsie heard a piercing scream, and turning her head, saw what, as far as she could make out, appeared to be the resisting, struggling form of the unfortunate "fairy mother" being carried into the hall by two men. ...

— Little Folks (November 1884) - A Magazine for the Young • Various

... formed a new Presbytery which in course of time became distinctly Unitarian. The historic event for English 'non-subscription' was a declaration made at a meeting of Dissenting ministers, Independents, Baptists, and Presbyterians, held in 1719 at Salter's Hall, London. Certain Exeter ministers had become unsound in doctrine, and refused to renew their subscription to the creeds and articles, claiming to believe 'the Scripture'—a well-understood expression in those days. The question of their exclusion was referred to London, and there again the point ...

— Unitarianism • W.G. Tarrant

... sought an interview with Clinias, who daily visits the Deigma, and has a better opportunity than I can have to hear the news of Athens. I found him crowned with garlands; for he had been offering sacrifices in the hall. He told me he had thus sought to allay the anxiety of his mind with regard to yourself and Phidias. He fears the capricious Athenians will reverse ...

— Philothea - A Grecian Romance • Lydia Maria Child

... six days in the Bishop's house; and, having passed another fortnight in the hospital of St. John without Smithfield, he went to Hertford, where he stayed three weeks. From that place he returned to meet the parliament, which was to assemble in Westminster Hall on Wednesday ...

— Henry of Monmouth, Volume 1 - Memoirs of Henry the Fifth • J. Endell Tyler

... married for more money. Good citizens are invited to cast aside social reasons and oust the machine candidate, for the nomination of Lockwin will be a surrender of the district into the clutches of the ring at the city hall. ...

— David Lockwin--The People's Idol • John McGovern

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