WALL


Meaning of WALL in English

I. ˈwȯl noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Old English weall; akin to Middle High German wall; both from Latin vallum rampart, from vallus stake, palisade; perhaps akin to Old Norse vǫlr staff — more at wale

Date: before 12th century

1.

a. : a high thick masonry structure forming a long rampart or an enclosure chiefly for defense — often used in plural

b. : a masonry fence around a garden, park, or estate

c. : a structure that serves to hold back pressure (as of water or sliding earth)

2. : one of the sides of a room or building connecting floor and ceiling or foundation and roof

3. : the side of a footpath next to buildings

4. : an extreme or desperate position or a state of defeat, failure, or ruin

the surrounded troops had their backs against the wall

small companies driven to the wall

5. : a material layer enclosing space

the wall of a container

heart wall s

6. : something resembling a wall (as in appearance, function, or effect) ; especially : something that acts as a barrier or defense

a wall of reserve

tariff wall

• wall-like ˈwȯl-ˌlīk adjective

- off the wall

- up the wall

II. transitive verb

Date: 13th century

1.

a. : to provide, cover with, or surround with or as if with a wall

wall in the garden

b. : to separate by or as if by a wall

wall ed off half the house

2.

a. : immure

wall ed the monster up within the tomb — E. A. Poe

b. : to close (an opening) with or as if with a wall

III. verb

Etymology: Middle English (Scots) wawlen, probably from Middle English wawil- (in wawil-eghed walleyed)

Date: 15th century

intransitive verb

of the eyes : to roll in a dramatic manner

transitive verb

: to roll (one's eyes) in a dramatic manner

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.