Stopping or slowing down progress intentionally to buy more time, or when an engine suddenly stops running.
From Old Norse 'stallr' meaning 'standing place.' Originally described an animal's stall or compartment, then a motionless state, then the condition of an engine stopping.
When you're 'stalling for time,' you're mentally putting your engine in neutral—your mouth is moving but you're not actually going anywhere, which is exactly what happens when a car engine stalls.
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