TALL
improbable, marvelous, marvellous, tall
(adjective) too improbable to admit of belief; “a tall story”
tall
(adjective) impressively difficult; “a tall order”
grandiloquent, magniloquent, tall
(adjective) lofty in style; “he engages in so much tall talk, one never really realizes what he is saying”
tall
(adjective) great in vertical dimension; high in stature; “tall people”; “tall buildings”; “tall trees”; “tall ships”
tall
(noun) a garment size for a tall person
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Adjective
tall (comparative taller, superlative tallest)
(of a person) Having a vertical extent greater than the average. For example, somebody with a height of over 6 feet would generally be considered to be tall.
(of a building, etc.) Having its top a long way up; having a great vertical (and often greater than horizontal) extent; high.
(of a story) Hard to believe, such as a tall story or a tall tale.
(chiefly, US, of a cup of coffee) A cup of coffee smaller than grande, usually 8 ounces.
(obsolete) Obsequious; obedient.
(obsolete) Seemly; suitable; fitting, becoming, comely; attractive, handsome.
(obsolete) Bold; brave; courageous; valiant.
(archaic) Fine; proper; admirable; great; excellent.
Antonyms
• (of a person): short
• (of a building): short, low, low-rise
Noun
tall (plural talls)
(possibly, nonstandard) Someone or something that is tall.
Source: Wiktionary
Tall, a. [Compar. Taller; superl. Tallest.] Etym: [OE. tal seemly,
elegant, docile; of uncertain origin; cf. AS. un-tala, un-tale, bad,
Goth. untals indocile, disobedient, uninstructed, or W. & Corn. tal
high, Ir. talla meet, fit, proper, just.]
1. High in stature; having a considerable, or an unusual, extension
upward; long and comparatively slender; having the diameter or
lateral extent small in proportion to the height; as, a tall person,
tree, or mast.
Two of far nobler shape, erect and tall. Milton.
2. Brave; bold; courageous. [Obs.]
As tall a trencherman As e'er demolished a pye fortification.
Massinger.
His companions, being almost in despair of victory, were suddenly
recomforted by Sir William Stanley, which came to succors with three
thousand tall men. Grafton.
3. Fine; splendid; excellent; also, extravagant; excessive. [Obs. or
Slang] B. Jonson.
Syn.
– High; lofty.
– Tall, High, Lofty. High is the generic term, and is applied to
anything which is elevated or raised above another thing. Tall
specifically describes that which has a small diameter in proportion
to its height; hence, we speak of a tall man, a tall steeple, a tall
mast, etc., but not of a tall hill. Lofty has a special reference to
the expanse above us, and denotes an imposing height; as, a lofty
mountain; a lofty room. Tall is now properly applied only to physical
objects; high and lofty have a moral acceptation; as, high thought,
purpose, etc.; lofty aspirations; a lofty genius. Lofty is the
stronger word, and is usually coupled with the grand or admirable.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition