Mall

Mall (ma̤l; 277), n. [Written also maul.] [OE. malle, F. mail, L. malleus. Cf. Malleus.] 1. A large heavy wooden beetle; a mallet for driving anything with force; a maul. Addison.

2. A heavy blow. [Obs.] Spenser.

3. An old game played with malls or mallets and balls. See Pall-mall. Cotton.

4. A place where the game of mall was played. Hence: A public walk; a level shaded walk.

Part of the area was laid out in gravel walks, and planted with elms; and these convenient and frequented walks obtained the name of the City Mall. Southey.

Mall (ma̤l), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Malled (ma̤ld); p. pr. & vb. n. Malling.] [Cf. OF. mailler. See Mall beetle, and cf. Malleate.] To beat with a mall; to beat with something heavy; to bruise; to maul.

Mall (măl), n. [LL. mallum a public assembly; cf. OHG. mahal assembly, transaction; akin to AS. mæðel, meðel, assembly, mǣlan to speak, Goth. maþl market place.] Formerly, among Teutonic nations, a meeting of the notables of a state for the transaction of public business, such meeting being a modification of the ancient popular assembly. Hence: (a) A court of justice. (b) A place where justice is administered. (c) A place where public meetings are held.

Councils, which had been as frequent as diets or malls, ceased. Milman.