stonewall

CEFRB2

/ˈstəʊnwɔːl/

verb · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To delay or refuse to answer or cooperate.

  2. 02

    verb

    Extra detail

    A refusal to cooperate.

Examples

  • Nixon tried to stonewall through Watergate by ignoring it, but it didn't work.

  • Stonewall is a gay bar.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
1

Also pronounced

  • /ˈstoʊnwɔl/

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings

  1. An alcoholic drink popular in colonial America, consisting of apple cider (or sometimes applejack) mixed with rum (or sometimes gin or whisky).

  2. To obstruct.

noun

Extra meaning

  1. An obstruction.

More examples

In context

  • At the press conference, the Prime Minister appeared to be stonewalling when asked about tax increases.

  • the Stonewall attack, a Stonewall setup, a Stonewall formation

  • […] I suddenly realized that here was the opening I had been searching for and perhaps even the possibility of striking a great blow, a blow perhaps powerful enough to shatter her stonewall defence, be it sane or insane.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

Despite the committee's request for information, the official decided to blank the investigation by refusing to answer.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

From Middle English stonwal, stone wall, stanewalle (“wall made of stone”), from Old English stānweall (“stonewall”), equivalent to stone + wall. The alcoholic drink (sense 3) was perhaps named thus because its effect was as potent as running into a stone wall.