A large heavy wooden beetle; a mallet for driving anything with force; a maul. Addison.
A heavy blow. [Obs.] Spenser.
An old game played with malls or mallets and balls. See Pall-mall. Cotton.
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.
To beat with a mall; to beat with something heavy; to bruise; to maul.
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 court of justice.
A place where justice is administered.
A place where public meetings are held. Councils, which had been as frequent as diets or malls, ceased. Milman.
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