ˈhȯl noun
( -s )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English halle, hal, from Old English heall; akin to Old High German halla hall, Old Norse höll, Latin cella small room, Greek kalia hut, nest, Sanskrit śālā hut, Old English helan to conceal — more at hell
1.
a. : the castle or house of a medieval king or noble
b. : the chief living room in such a structure used for eating, sleeping, and entertaining
c. chiefly dialect : the living room or parlor of a house
2. : the manor house or residence of a landed proprietor — often used in proper names
Locksley Hall
Headlong Hall
3. sometimes capitalized : a large usually imposing building used for public or semipublic purposes ; specifically : town hall — now used chiefly in proper names
Westminster Hall
Faneuil Hall
4.
a.
(1) : a building used by a college or university for teaching or research
halls of learning
— often used in proper names
Goodheart Hall
(2) : dormitory
b. : a college or a division of a college at some universities
c.
(1) : the common dining room of an English college
(2) : a meal served there
5.
a. archaic : a cleared passageway through a crowd — used in the exclamation a hall, a hall
b.
(1) : the entrance room or passageway of a residence or other building : foyer , lobby
the front hall of the house
left his rubbers in the back hall
(2) : a corridor or passage in a building
6. : a large room for assembly usually equipped with seats (as for lectures or concerts) : auditorium
a lecture hall
a concert hall
7. : a place used for public entertainment: as
a. : a building or room used for a particular kind of amusement or play
a pool hall
a gambling hall
b. : a building with an auditorium used for public musical entertainments ; specifically : music hall
8. : a building belonging to or used as the place of assembly, social center, or headquarters of a fraternal society or trade union
his office was the union hall — R.F.Mirvish
— often used in proper names
Hungarian Hall