mall

Etymology

Probably from The Mall, a major street in London, England, which was originally a pall mall alley.

noun

1. (chiefly Canada, US, Australia, New Zealand) A pedestrianised street, especially a shopping precinct.
   The preliminary plans provide for one million square feet of selling space in three main buildings and a double row of shops along a central shopping mall. 1950-08-15, Philip Hampson, “Field's Plans 15 to 20 Million Shopping Center for Skokie”, in Chicago Daily Tribune, page 1
   America′s first pedestrianized shopping mall opened in 1959 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Like most later pedestrian malls, it was intended to revive what everybody thought was a decaying downtown. 2002, Alexander Garvin, The American City: What Works, What Doesn′t, page 179
2. An enclosed shopping centre.
   Every day, at about the time the rest of us go to work, groups of retirees gather at many of America′s enclosed shopping malls. 2004, Ralph E. Warner, Get a Life: You Don′t Need a Million to Retire Well, unnumbered page
3. (obsolete) An alley where the game of pall mall was played.
4. A public walk; a level shaded walk, a promenade.
   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. 1820, Robert Southey, The Life of Wesley; and Rise and Progress of Methodism
5. A heavy wooden mallet or hammer used in the game of pall mall.
   I also fell slightly; but his fall proving a severe one, he arose in wrath, and struck me with the mall which he held in his hand, until my blood flowed copiously […] 1824, James Hogg, The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner
6. (obsolete) The game of polo.
7. (obsolete) An old game played with malls or mallets and balls; pall mall.
   But playing with the Boy ar Mall, (I rue the Time, and ever shall) I struck the Ball, I know not how 1675, Charles Cotton, Burlesque upon Burlesque

verb

1. to beat with a mall, or mallet; to beat with something heavy; to bruise
2. to build up with the development of shopping malls
3. (informal) to shop at the mall