stand down

stand down idiom
  1. Leave a witness stand, as in The judge told her to stand down. [Late 1600s]
  2. Withdraw, as from a political contest or a game or race, as in Harry decided to stand down as a candidate for mayor. [Late 1800s]
  3. Go off duty, as in The American forces were ordered to stand down. [Early 1900s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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