Monier-Williams: A Sanskrit-English Dictionary (p. 444)
tāla, m. (Siddhnapuṅs. 25 Sch.) the palmyra tree or fan-palm (Borassus flabelliformis, producing a sort of spirituous liquor; considered as a measure of height R. iv; vi, 2, 6 Lalit. iii, xxii; forming a banner MBh. iv, vi, xvi Hariv.; to pierce seven fan-palms with one shot is held to be a great feat R. i, 1, 64 AgP. viii, 2) Mn. viii, 246 MBh. &c.; (fr. tāḍa) slapping the hands together or against one's arm, xiii, 1397 R. &c.; the flapping of an elephant's ears Ragh. ix, 71 Kathās. xii; xxi, 1 Prab. i, v; musical time or measure MBh. &c. (cf. -jña & -śīla); a dance Sāh. vi, 277; a cymbal Pañcat. BhP. viii, 15, 21; (in prosody) a trochee; a span measured by the thumb and middle finger Hcat. i, 3, 855 and 6, 171 445,1; (= tala) the palm (of the hand), L.; a lock, bolt W.; (= tala) the hilt of a sword, L.; a goldsmith Gal.; Śiva MBh. xiii, 1243; pl. N. of a people (cf. -vana and apara-) VarBṛS. xiv, 22; m. n. orpiment, L.; N. of a hell VP. ii, 6, 2 and 10 ŚivaP.; n. the nut of the fan-palm MBh. iii, 8718 Hariv. 3711 (cf. kākatālīya); the throne of Durgā (cf. manas-), L. (v.l.); mf(ī Pāṇ. 4-3, 152) n. made of palmyra wood Mn.xi, 96/97; (ā) f. (g. kuṇḍādi) see māsa-; (ī) f. (g. kuṇḍādī) N. of a tree (Corypha taliera, Corypha umbraculifera, Flacourtia cataphracta, Curculigo orchioides, L.) Hariv. 6407 R. Suśr. &c.; toddy W.; a fragrant earth, L.; = tallikā, L.; a metre of 4 x 3 long syllables; cf. ucca-, ut-, eka-, kara-, kāṃsya-, kāma-, krośa-.