a. [ Compar. Taller superl. Tallest. ] [ 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Two of far nobler shape, erect and tall. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Brave; bold; courageous. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

As tall a trencherman
As e'er demolished a pye fortification. Massinger. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Fine; splendid; excellent; also, extravagant; excessive. [ Obs. or Slang ] B. Jonson. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To lay an impost upon; to cause to pay tallage. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A kind of long-stemmed wineglass or cup. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. A piece of household furniture common in the eighteenth century, usually in two separate parts, with larger drawers above and smaller ones below and raised on legs fifteen inches or more in height; -- called also highboy. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

3. A long sheet-metal pipe for a chimney top. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

{ } n. [ F. taillage. See Taille, and cf. Tailage. ] (O. Eng. Law) A certain rate or tax paid by barons, knights, and inferior tenants, toward the public expenses. [ Written also tailage, taillage. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ When paid out of knight's fees, it was called scutage; when by cities and burghs, tallage; when upon lands not held by military tenure, hidage. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who keeps tally. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. Same as Tallith. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

‖n. [ NHeb. tallīth. ] (Jewish Costume) (a) An undergarment worn by orthodox Jews, covering the chest and the upper part of the back. It has an opening for the head, and has tassels, called zizith, on its four corners. (b) A tasseled shawl or scarf worn over the head or thrown round the shoulders while at prayer. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. The quality or state of being tall; height of stature. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Tallowed p. pr. & vb. n. Tallowing. ] 1. To grease or smear with tallow. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To cause to have a large quantity of tallow; to fatten; as, tallow sheep. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. taluh, talugh; akin to OD. talgh, D. talk, G., Dan. and Sw. talg, Icel. tōlgr, tōlg, tōlk; and perhaps to Goth. tulgus firm. ] 1. The suet or fat of animals of the sheep and ox kinds, separated from membranous and fibrous matter by melting. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The solid consistency of tallow is due to the large amount of stearin it contains. See Fat. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The fat of some other animals, or the fat obtained from certain plants, or from other sources, resembling the fat of animals of the sheep and ox kinds. [ 1913 Webster ]

Tallow candle, a candle made of tallow. --
Tallow catch, a keech. See Keech. [ Obs. ] --
Tallow chandler, one whose occupation is to make, or to sell, tallow candles. --
Tallow chandlery, the trade of a tallow chandler; also, the place where his business is carried on. --
Tallow tree (Bot.), a tree (Stillingia sebifera) growing in China, the seeds of which are covered with a substance which resembles tallow and is applied to the same purposes. [ 1913 Webster ]