Stand meaning
A ship standing to windward.
Stand battle.
Stand trial.
I could stand a good night's sleep.
Stand guard.
She stood him to a drink. We'll stand dinner.
Made their stand at the river.
Must take a stand on environmental issues.
A music stand; a bedside stand.
A stand of pine.
He stands six feet.
Sweat stood on his brow.
They stood in awe; he stands to lose ten dollars.
To stand first in one's class.
The score stands at 28 to 20
A ship standing out of the harbor.
To stand pain.
Stood the trip quite well.
To stand trial.
To stand watch.
- A stopping to counterattack, resist, etc., as in a retreat.
- A halt made by a touring theatrical company to give a performance; also, the place stopped at.
To take one's stand at the rear.
To make one's stand clear.
- A raised platform, as for a band or for spectators along a parade route.
- A set of steplike tiers of benches, as for the spectators at a ballgame.
- The place where a witness testifies in a courtroom.
- A lectern, pulpit, reading desk, etc.
- A booth, stall, etc. where goods are sold.
- A parking space along the side of a street, reserved as for taxicabs.
- A business site or location.
A music stand.
- Here I stand, wondering what to do next.
- (intransitive) To rise to one’s feet; to stand up.Stand up, walk to the refrigerator, and get your own snack.
- (intransitive) To remain motionless.Do not leave your car standing in the road.
- To place in an upright or standing position.He stood the broom in a corner and took a break.
- (intransitive) To occupy or hold a place; to be situated or located.Paris stands on the Seine.
- (intransitive) To measure when erect on the feet.
- (intransitive, followed by to + infinitive`) To be positioned to gain or lose.He stands to get a good price for the house.
- (negative) To tolerate.I can’t stand when people don’t read the instructions. I can’t stand him.
- (intransitive) To maintain one's ground; to be acquitted; not to fail or yield; to be safe.
- (intransitive) To maintain an invincible or permanent attitude; to be fixed, steady, or firm; to take a position in resistance or opposition.
- John Dryden (1631-1700).Accomplish what your signs foreshow; / I stand resigned, and am prepared to go.
- Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832).Thou seest how it stands with me, and that I may not tarry.
- (intransitive, cricket) To act as an umpire.
- The works of Shakespeare have stood the test of time.
- (intransitive, UK) To seek election.He is standing for election to the local council.
- (intransitive) To be valid.What I said yesterday still stands.
- To oppose, usually as a team, in competition.
- To cover the expense of; to pay for.To stand a treat.
- (intransitive) To have or maintain a position, order, or rank; to be in a particular relation.Christian charity, or love, stands first in the rank of gifts.
- (intransitive) To be consistent; to agree; to accord.
- (intransitive) To appear in court.
He set the music upon the stand and began to play.
An umbrella stand; a hat-stand.
She took the stand and quietly answered questions.
A good, bad, or convenient stand for business.
An example of stand is the opinion of an abortion protester.
An example of stand is to get up out of bed in the morning with one's feet on the floor.
The balance stands at $500.
Stands six feet tall.
He stands on his earlier offer. We will stand firm.
She stands to make a fortune.
Stands third in her class; stands high in reputation.
They took a firm stand against copyright infringement.
They have a four-game stand at home against the Yankees.
They spent the summer touring giving 4 one-night stands a week.
- To have a chance, as of gaining or accomplishing something.
- To maintain one's position against an attack.
- To refuse to compromise; be unyielding.
- To make numerous sprawling or dramatic saves. Used of a goalie.
- To be independent and responsible for oneself.
- To oppose or resist change.
- To play one's poker hand without drawing more cards.
- To be consistent with reason:.It stands to reason that if we leave late, we will arrive late.
- To side with; defend.
- To stand up with.
- To confront fearlessly; face up to.
- To act as best man or maid of honor for (the groom or bride) at a wedding.
- It is logical or reasonable.
- To take a position for defense or opposition.
- To support a definite position, opinion, etc.
- To come to a stop.
- To have a chance (of winning, surviving, etc.).
- To aid or support.
- To be near or present, esp. in a passive manner or as a mere onlooker.
- To remain tuned in, as for continuance of a program, or to remain ready to transmit without actually doing so.
- To leave the witness stand, as after testifying.
- To withdraw from a post, position, confrontation, etc.
- To withdraw one's candidacy for a public office.
- To be a symbol for or sign of; represent; mean.
- To put up with; endure; tolerate.
- To be on good terms; be friendly.
- To substitute for.
- To keep at a distance.
- To put off, stave off, or evade (a creditor or assailant).
- To take or hold a course away from shore.
- To be based or founded upon; depend on.
- To insist upon; demand due observance of (ceremony, one's dignity or rights, etc.).
- To hold the same course or tack.
- To stick out; project.
- To show up clearly; be distinct in appearance.
- To be prominent, notable, or outstanding; have distinction.
- To refuse to give in; be firm in resistance.
- To take or hold a course away from shore.
- To hover over (someone).
- To postpone or be postponed; hold over.
- To rise to or be in a standing position.
- To prove valid, satisfactory, durable, etc.
- To fail to keep an engagement with.
- To take the side of; defend.
- To serve as a ceremonial advocate or supporter, as in a wedding.The best man stands up for the groom.
- To confront fearlessly; refuse to be cowed or intimidated by.
- To act as a wedding attendant to.
- To sit (or stand) in the designated place in a courtroom and give testimony.
Idioms and Phrasal Verbs
Origin of stand
- Middle English standen from Old English standan stā- in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
- From Middle English standen, from Old English standan (“to stand, occupy a place, be valid, stand good, be, exist, take place, consist, be fixed, remain undisturbed, stand still, cease to move, remain without motion, stop, maintain one’s position, not yield to pressure, reside, abide, continue, remain, not to fall, be upheld”), from Proto-Germanic *standaną (“to stand”).
From Wiktionary