Adjacent Words

Withstand definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

WITHSTAND, v.t. [with and stand. See Stand.] To oppose; to resist, either with physical or moral force; as, to withstand the attack of troops; to withstand eloquence or arguments.
When Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face. Galatians 2.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: resist or confront with resistance; "The politician defied public opinion"; "The new material withstands even the greatest wear and tear"; "The bridge held" [syn: defy, withstand, hold, hold up]
2: stand up or offer resistance to somebody or something [syn: resist, hold out, withstand, stand firm] [ant: give up, surrender]

Merriam Webster's

transitive verb (withstood; -standing) Etymology: Middle English, from Old English withstandan, from with against + standan to stand Date: before 12th century 1. a. to stand up against ; oppose with firm determination; especially to resist successfully b. to be proof against ; resist the effect of <withstand the impact of a landing — Current Biography> 2. archaic to stop or obstruct the course of Synonyms: see oppose

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. (past and past part. -stood) 1 tr. oppose, resist, hold out against (a person, force, etc.). 2 intr. make opposition; offer resistance. Derivatives: withstander n. Etymology: OE withstandan f. with- against (as WITH) + STAND

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Withstand With*stand", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Withstood; p. pr. & vb. n. Withstanding.] [AS. wi[eth]standan. See With, prep., and Stand.] To stand against; to oppose; to resist, either with physical or moral force; as, to withstand an attack of troops; to withstand eloquence or arguments. --Piers Plowman. I withstood him to the face. --Gal. ii. 11. Some village Hampden, that, with dauntless breast. The little tyrant of his fields withstood. --Gray.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(withstands, withstanding, withstood) If something or someone withstands a force or action, they survive it or do not give in to it. (FORMAL) ...armoured vehicles designed to withstand chemical attack... = stand up to VERB: V n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. Resist, oppose, face, confront, strive against, stand against, make a stand against.

Moby Thesaurus

be at cross-purposes, be proof against, bear, bear up, bear up against, buck, challenge, combat, complain, complain loudly, confront, contend with, contest, counter, counteract, countervail, counterwork, cross, defy, dispute, dissent, duel, endure, face down, face out, face up to, fight, front, go against, hold out, hold up, join the opposition, kick against, make a stand, meet head-on, not abide, object, offer resistance, oppose, play at cross-purposes, protest, rebuff, recalcitrate, reluct, remonstrate, repel, repulse, resist, revolt, run against, run counter to, show fight, stand, stand at bay, stand up, stand up against, stand up to, strive against, suffer, take issue with, tolerate, traverse, vote against