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stand Definition

stand (stand)

intransitive verb stood, stand′·ing

    1. to be or remain in a generally upright position, supported on the feet (or foot)
    2. to be or remain in an upright position, supported on its base, bottom, pedestal, etc.: said of physical objects
    3. to grow upright or erect: said of plants
  2. to rise to an upright position, as from a sitting, lying, or crouching position
    1. to take, move into, or be in a (specified) upright position stand straight!
    2. to take, maintain, or be in a (specified) position, attitude, or course, as of support, antagonism, responsibility, sponsorship, etc. to stand opposed to an act
  4. to have a (specified) height when standing he stands six feet
  5. to point: said of a dog
    1. to be placed; be situated
    2. to remain where situated, built, etc.
  7. to gather and remain: said of a liquid sweat stood on his brow
    1. to remain unchanged, intact, effective, or valid the law still stands
    2. to be or remain in a printed or written form
  9. to be in a (specified) condition, relation, or circumstance: used with a phrase, infinitive, or adverb they stood in awe, he stands to lose ten dollars
  10. to be of a (specified) rank, degree, or the like to stand first in one's class
  11. to maintain one's opinion, viewpoint, adherence, etc.; remain resolute or firm
  12. to make resistance, as to hostile action
    1. to come to a stop; halt
    2. to be or remain stationary
  14. to show the (specified) relative position of those involved the score stands at 28 to 20
  15. ☆ to be available for breeding: said of a stallion
  16. Chiefly Brit. to be a candidate, as for an office; run
  17. Naut. to take or hold a course a ship standing out of the harbor
  18. Printing to remain set: said of type or printed matter

Etymology: ME standen < OE standan; akin to MDu standen, Goth standan < IE base *stā-, to stand, be placed > L stare, to stand, Gr histanai, to set, cause to stand

transitive verb

  1. to make stand; set or place upright
  2. to go on enduring; put up with; bear; tolerate to stand pain
  3. to remain uninjured or unaffected by; withstand stood the trip quite well
  4. to be subjected to; undergo to stand trial
  5. to do the duty of to stand watch
  6. Informal
    1. to bear the cost of (a dinner, etc.) as when treating
    2. to treat (a person) to food, drink, etc.
  7. Mil. to stand in formation at (reveille, retreat, etc.)

noun

  1. the act or position of standing (in various senses); esp., a stopping; halt or stop; specif.,
    1. a stopping to counterattack, resist, etc., as in a retreat
    2. ☆ a halt made by a touring theatrical company to give a performance; also, the place stopped at
  2. the place where a person stands or is supposed to stand; position; station to take one's stand at the rear
  3. a view, opinion, or position, as on an issue to make one's stand clear
  4. a structure for a person or persons to stand or sit on, or to stand at; specif.,
    1. a raised platform, as for a band or for spectators along a parade route
    2. a set of steplike tiers of benches, as for the spectators at a ballgame
    3. the place where a witness testifies in a courtroom
    4. a lectern, pulpit, reading desk, etc.
  5. ☆ a place of business; specif.,
    1. a booth, stall, etc. where goods are sold
    2. a parking space along the side of a street, reserved as for taxicabs
    3. a business site or location
  6. a rack, small table, etc. for holding something a music stand
  7. ☆ a growth of trees or plants
  8. Now Dial. a group, set, etc.

Etymology: OE stand < standan, to stand

stand Related Forms
stand′er noun
stand Idioms

make a stand

  1. to take a position for defense or opposition
  2. to support a definite position, opinion, etc.
  3. to come to a stop

stand a chance

to have a chance (of winning, surviving, etc.)

stand by

    1. to be near and ready to act if or when needed
    2. to wait to go aboard
  2. to aid or support
    1. to make good (a promise, etc.)
    2. to maintain (a policy)
  4. to be near or present, esp. in a passive manner or as a mere onlooker
  5. Radio, TV to remain tuned in, as for continuance of a program, or to remain ready to transmit without actually doing so

stand down

  1. Law to leave the witness stand, as after testifying
  2. to withdraw from a post, position, confrontation, etc.
  3. Chiefly Brit. to withdraw one's candidacy for a public office
  4. Mil. Slang to deactivate () or be deactivated

stand for

  1. to be a symbol for or sign of; represent; mean
  2. ☆ Informal to put up with; endure; tolerate

stand in

☆ Informal to be on good terms; be friendly: usually followed by with

stand in for

to substitute for

stand off

  1. to keep at a distance
  2. ☆ to put off, stave off, or evade (a creditor or assailant)
  3. Naut. to take or hold a course away from shore

stand on

  1. to be based or founded upon; depend on
  2. to insist upon; demand due observance of (ceremony, one's dignity or rights, etc.)
  3. Naut. to hold the same course or tack

stand out

  1. to stick out; project
  2. to show up clearly; be distinct in appearance
  3. to be prominent, notable, or outstanding; have distinction
  4. to refuse to give in; be firm in resistance
  5. Naut. to take or hold a course away from shore

stand over

  1. to hover over (someone)
  2. to postpone or be postponed; hold over

stand up

  1. to rise to or be in a standing position
  2. to prove valid, satisfactory, durable, etc.
  3. ☆ Slang to fail to keep an engagement with

stand up for

to take the side of; defend; support

stand up to

to confront fearlessly; refuse to be intimidated by

stand up with

to act as a wedding attendant to

take the stand

☆

to sit (or stand) in the designated place in a courtroom and give testimony

stand Synonyms

stand

n.

  1. Position

    notion, view, belief; see attitude 2, opinion 1.

  2. A platform

    stage, gantry, station; see platform 1.

make<strong> <em>or</em> </strong>take a stand*

insist, assert, take a position; see declare 1, fight 1, 2, say.

take the stand

bear witness, give evidence, give testimony, be sworn in; see testify.

stand Synonyms

stand

v.

  1. To be in an upright position

    be erect, be on one's feet, stand up, come to one's feet, rise, jump up*.

  2. To endure

    last, persist, survive, hold; see endure 1.

  3. To tolerate

    endure, bear, withstand; see endure 2.

  4. To be of a certain height

    be, attain, come to; see reach 1.

  5. To be situated

    fill, hold, take up; see occupy 2.

  6. To oppose

    withstand, stand against, confront; see compete, oppose 1.

  7. *To pay for

    bear the cost, stand the expense, make payment; see pay 1. See syn. study at endure.

stand Usage Examples

Object

  • chance: Only a gambler like Blair could stand a chance of winning " .
  • firm: Yet it too has stood firm, shoulder to shoulder with its neighbors, resolute in its defiance of the Dark.
  • guard: What about the National Socialists, who one would think ought to be the first to stand guard over bourgeois legality?

Preposition: for

  • re-election: Federal deputies and senators are entitled to stand for re-election without restriction.
  • election: Should the appeal fail the member concerned shall not be entitled to stand for election to office for a period of 12 months.

Adjective complement

  • motionless: Over to the left, a huge herd of elephants stood almost motionless, so far away that they looked like little models.
  • tall: There stood a single stone standing tall under the sun above.
  • ready: I suggest you stand ready, paint brushes at hand and prepare yourself.
  • proud: I stand proud, I stand up for myself, but not alone, with society.

Noun used with modifier

  • one-night: We tried to take a holiday from the round of one-night stands, But the manager objected with the contract in his hands.
  • exhibition: Mangar International put on a great show with their new exhibition stand which was first unveiled at Naidex earlier this year.

Present participle complement

  • stare: He went mooning about the dark galleries and stood staring vacantly at the dark and sinister picture.

Preposition: in

  • doorway: MULDER stands in the doorway pouting, not making eye contact with SCULLY.
  • front: Showing three pupil nurses standing in front of the hospital entrance.
  • contrast: This stands in marked contrast to oil and fuel filters where there is a relatively large amount of information regarding filtration requirements and capabilities.
  • middle: Voices in the head activity - Pandora stands in the middle of a space.

Followed by an intransitive particle

  • up: Are you Willing to stand up to the plethora of ex chairs?
  • out: Maybe I didn't feel like standing out just then.
  • aside: Anyway after successive failures Adam stood aside while Brian walked up the boulder and off the top.

Preposition: up

  • comedian: Stephen began his career as a stand up comedian, and was a finalist in the 1998 Daily Telegraph New Comedy Awards.
stand Quotes

There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

—Bible (Old Testament)

Then join hand in hand, brave Americans allö By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall.

—Dickinson,John

Every known class of refusal was successfully exhibited. Onehorse endeavoured to climbtherailsintothe Grand Stand; another, having stoppeddeadatthecritical point, swung round, and returned in consternation to the starting-point, with hisrider hanging likea locket around his neck. Another, dowered with a sense of humour

—Martin Ross

For years I have let dentists ride roughshod over my teeth; I have been sawed, hacked, chopped, whittled, bewitched, bewildered, tattooed, and signed on again; but this is cuspid's last stand.

—Perelman, S(ydney) J(oseph)

Give me a firm spot on which to stand, and I shall move the earth.

—Archimedes

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

—Bible (NewTestament)

If she can stand it, I can. Play it!

—Epstein,JuliusJ

Always remember, sir, that light and shadow never stand still.

—West, Benjamin

That's what you always said, success isn't everything but it makes a man stand straight, and you were right.

—Hellman, Lillian Florence

What is this life if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare?

—Davies,W(illiam) H(enry)

'I will not stand for being called a woman in my own house,'she said.

—Waugh, Evelyn Arthur StJohn

   My love she's but a lassie yet, My love she's but a lassie yet; We'll let her stand a year or twa, She'll no be half sae saucy yet.

—Burns, Robert

Resta viator et lege! Stand still, traveller, and read!

—Anonymous

Stand Up! Stand Up For Jesus!

—Duffield, George

Your friend the British soldier can stand up to anything except the British War Office.

—Shaw, George Bernard

I have lived long enough in the world to know that the safety of a Minister lies in his having the approbation of this House.Former Ministers neglected that and thereforethey fell; I have always made it my first study to obtain it, and therefore I hope to stand.

—Walpole, Sir Robert, 1st Earl of Orford

And said to the mountains and rocks,Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his 126 wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

—Bible (NewTestament)