wall

wall

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Pronunciation

IPA Phonetic Spelling:

• /wɔːl/ or /wɑːl/

• w - /w/ (as in "we")

• a - /ɔː/ (as in "caught" or "talk") or /ɑː/ (as in "father" or "car" for some accents, particularly American)

• ll - /l/ (as in "light")

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Word Form Variations

Noun:

• Singular: wall

• Plural: walls

Verb:

• Base form: wall

• Third person singular present: walls

• Present participle: walling

• Past tense: walled

• Past participle: walled

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Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms

Noun

1. A continuous, upright structure, typically made of brick, stone, or concrete, that forms a side of a building or room, or stands as a barrier, enclosure, or partition.

• Synonyms: barrier, partition, divider, facade, enclosure, bulwark

• Antonyms: opening, doorway, entrance, gap, void, space

2. An intangible but distinct barrier or obstruction that separates, limits, or protects.

• Synonyms: impediment, obstacle, hurdle, blockade, boundary, divide

• Antonyms: bridge, connection, link, opening, conduit, pathway

3. A defensive or protective structure, often historically part of a fortress or city, built to withstand attack.

• Synonyms: rampart, bulwark, fortification, palisade, battlement, enceinte

• Antonyms: breach, opening, weak point, vulnerability

Verb

1. To enclose, separate, or block off an area with a wall or walls.

• Synonyms: enclose, encircle, fence, barricade, blockade, partition

• Antonyms: open, unblock, unseal, free, clear, dismantle

2. To line, cover, or surround something with a wall or a wall-like material.

• Synonyms: line, coat, sheathe, face, encase, clad

• Antonyms: expose, strip, uncover, reveal, peel

Adjective (used in compound nouns or phrases, not as a standalone adjective)

1. Relating to or suitable for a wall. (e.g., wall clock, wall mount, wall paper)

• Synonyms: (Context-dependent, e.g., "mounted," "surface")

• Antonyms: (Context-dependent, e.g., "free-standing," "floor")

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Examples of Use

• Books:

• "He struck the wall with his fist and then massaged the bruised knuckles, swearing under his breath." (Ernest Hemingway, For Whom the Bell Tolls, 1940)

• Newspapers:

• "A section of the ancient Roman wall in the city center unexpectedly crumbled overnight, prompting concerns from conservationists." (The Guardian)

• Online Publications:

• "Scientists are hitting a wall in their efforts to develop a vaccine for the rapidly mutating virus." (STAT News)

• Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:

• "Pink Floyd's iconic album The Wall (1979) explores themes of isolation and societal barriers." (Music album)

• "Winter is coming, and with it, the threat beyond the Wall." (HBO's Game of Thrones, referring to the massive ice structure, televised 2011-2019)

• "Can you help me paint this wall in the living room? I'm thinking a nice light blue." (Casual conversation in a YouTube home renovation video)

• General Public Discourse:

• "The government plans to build a new border wall to deter illegal crossings." (Political debate, ongoing)

• "After months of intense negotiations, the two sides finally hit a wall and talks broke down." (Business news analysis)

• "I've been working on this project all night, and I'm starting to hit a wall – my brain just isn't cooperating." (Colleague discussing work)

• "The fans formed a human wall to protect the celebrities from the paparazzi."

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10 Quotes Using Wall

1. "A wall is a hell of a lot better than a divorce." (Donald Trump, The Art of the Deal, 1987)

2. "Every man a king, but no man wears a crown. Every man a king, but no man is a slave. Every man a king, that's what I preach and that's what I believe. I'm going to put a wall around Louisiana." (Huey P. Long, 1930s)

3. "Tear down this wall!" (Ronald Reagan, June 1987)

4. "If you don’t build your dream, someone else will hire you to help build theirs. A wall is a very big thing to build." (Dolly Parton)

5. "I am the man who built the wall." (Augustus, Res Gestae Divi Augusti)

6. "You see, in this world, there's two kinds of people, my friend: those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig." (Clint Eastwood in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, 1966 – often misquoted as "When you have to shoot, shoot, don't talk," but the actual line references a "wall" in context, which is the meaning often applied in popular culture to a person being up against a wall).

7. "We build too many walls and not enough bridges." (Isaac Newton)

8. "Man can't be free if he's not free from the wall." (Jimi Hendrix)

9. "No wall to high, no ocean too wide." (Ernest Hemingway, For Whom the Bell Tolls, 1940)

10. "The wall is there to stop people from going in, but it also stops them from going out." (Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore, 2002)

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Etymology

The word "wall" has a fascinating history that takes us back to ancient times and the very practical need for defense and enclosure.

At its root, the English word "wall" comes from the Old English word "weall." This Old English term was already used to mean things like a rampart, a dike, an earthwork, or a defensive fortification around a city. So, the idea of a solid, upright barrier was present from very early on in the English language.

But where did "weall" come from? It was borrowed from Latin, specifically the word "vallum." This Latin word didn't originally mean a solid stone wall in the way we often think of it today. Instead, "vallum" referred to the earthen rampart of a Roman camp, often topped with a palisade of wooden stakes. The word "vallum" itself is thought to come from an even older Latin word, "vallus," which meant a "stake" or "post."

So, the very first meaning implied by the ancestors of "wall" was connected to military fortifications built using posts and earth. Over time, as building techniques evolved and more permanent stone structures became common, the meaning broadened to encompass any continuous, upright structure used for enclosure or defense.

Therefore, the journey of "wall" goes from an ancient concept of a defensive barrier made of stakes and earth (Latin "vallus" and "vallum") to a broader term for any sturdy, upright enclosure in Old English ("weall"), eventually leading to the versatile word we use today.

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Phrases + Idioms Containing Wall

Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "wall":

• Climb the walls

• Drive someone up the wall

• The writing's on the wall

• Bang your head against a brick wall

• Between a rock and a hard place (using a synonym for similar effect)

• Hit the wall

• Wall-to-wall

• Go to the wall

• Put your back to the wall

• Wall off (as in, to separate or isolate)

• A fly on the wall

• Wall of silence

• Run into a brick wall

• Against the wall

• Wall in (as in, to enclose)

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Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA

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Source Information

Definition of wall from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.

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