set out one's stall

English

WOTD – 14 September 2024

Etymology

Probably a reference to someone setting out a stall (“bench or table for the sale of merchandise; small open-fronted shop”) and publicly displaying the goods they intend to sell.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌsɛt‿aʊt wʌnz ˈstɔːl/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌsɛt‿aʊt wʌnz ˈstɔl/, (cot–caught merger) /-ˈstɑl/

• Audio (General American):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔːl

Verb

set out one's stall (third-person singular simple present sets out one's stall, present participle setting out one's stall, simple past and past participle set out one's stall) (UK, idiomatic, intransitive)

1. To make publicly clear one's position with reference to a particular idea or philosophy, or what one can do.

   John has obviously set out his stall for the Green Party.

   • 2021 January 27, Paul Clifton, “What is the Future of the RDG?”, in Rail, number 923, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire: Bauer Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 40:

     This interview is at RDG [the Rail Delivery Group]'s request: it wants to set out its stall for the most challenging of years ahead.

2. To decide to do something.
3. To do something which creates a favourable impression.
4. (sports, originally cricket) To (decide to) play (especially to defend) in a determined manner.

Usage notes

Also used in the form set one’s stall out.

Translations

to make publicly clear one’s position with reference to a particular idea or philosophy, or what one can do

• Finnish: asettua jollekin kannalle, tehdä kantansa selväksi
• Galician: expor á venda

to decide to do something

• Finnish: päättää tehdä
• Galician: please add this translation if you can

to do something which creates a favourable impression

• Finnish: tehdä vaikutus, yrittää antaa hyvä vaikutelma
• Galician: please add this translation if you can

to (decide to) play (especially to defend) in a determined manner

• Finnish: puolustaa päättäväisesti
• Galician: please add this translation if you can

See also

• hang out one's shingle
• set up shop
• whelk stall

 

Further reading

• “to set out one’s stall (also one’s stall out)” under “stall, n.¹”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, June 2024.
• “set out one’s stall, phrase”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.