tall
A1Neutral
Definition
Meaning
Having a greater than average height; measuring a long distance from bottom to top.
Used to describe something that is difficult to believe or achieve (tall story, tall order); impressively high or large in scale.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily describes vertical dimension of people, buildings, and objects. For people, implies a positive or neutral connotation of height. For inanimate objects, simply descriptive. Can imply 'excessively' or 'impressively' high in certain collocations.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. Both use identically for physical height. In the UK, 'a tall price' is less common than in the US for something expensive.
Connotations
Largely identical. Slight tendency in US English to use 'tall' more expansively for non-physical concepts (e.g., 'tall latte').
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[BE] tall[GROW] tall[STAND] tall[MEASURE] [number] centimetres tallVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “stand tall”
- “walk tall”
- “a tall order”
- “a tall story/tale”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in projections or goals: 'Meeting that quarterly target is a tall order.'
Academic
Descriptive in biology/geography: 'The region is known for its tall coniferous forests.'
Everyday
Describing people and everyday objects: 'He's very tall.' 'Can I have a tall glass of water?'
Technical
In architecture/engineering: 'The design specifications call for a tall, slender support column.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The new Shard building is exceptionally tall.
- She's the tallest girl in her year.
American English
- That redwood tree is incredibly tall.
- He ordered a tall coffee to go.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My brother is tall.
- Look at the tall tree!
- She grew tall very quickly as a teenager.
- It's a tall building with fifty floors.
- He walked tall after receiving the promotion.
- Finishing the report by tomorrow is a tall order.
- The politician was accused of telling tall tales about his past achievements.
- The data presents a tall challenge for current theoretical models.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a TALL wall. Both words share the 'all' sound and imply great height.
Conceptual Metaphor
VERTICALITY IS POWER/SUCCESS ('stand tall', 'walk tall'); DIFFICULTY IS HEIGHT ('a tall order').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'high' for people (высокий человек = tall person, not *high person).
- In Russian, 'высокий' covers both 'tall' and 'high'. English distinguishes: people/buildings are 'tall'; shelves, mountains, levels are 'high'.
Common Mistakes
- *He is a high man. (Incorrect: Use 'tall' for people.)
- *The tall temperature. (Incorrect: Use 'high' for abstract measurements.)
- Confusing 'tall' with 'long' (for horizontal dimension).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is a correct 'tall' collocation meaning a difficult task?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Tall' describes the vertical height of people, animals, and objects with a notable vertical dimension (trees, buildings). 'High' describes the vertical position of something above a base level or is used for abstract levels (high shelf, high price, high temperature).
Typically no. Mountains are described as 'high' (Mount Everest is the highest mountain) or 'towering', but not 'tall'. 'Tall' is for things whose height is their most notable feature from a single base.
It means a story or claim that is difficult to believe because it is exaggerated or fanciful, often implying the speaker is lying or embellishing.
Yes, the standard comparative is 'taller' and the superlative is 'tallest' (e.g., She is taller than me. He is the tallest player on the team.).