Dictionary
stand
Pronunciation: (stand), [key]
—v., stood, stand•ing,
—n., pl. stands for 43–63, stands, stand for 64.
—
v.i.
1. (of a person) to be in an upright position on the feet.
2. to rise to one's feet (often fol. by
up).
3. to have a specified height when in this position:
a basketball player who stands six feet seven inches.
4. to stop or remain motionless or steady on the feet.
5. to take a position or place as indicated:
to stand aside.
6. to remain firm or steadfast, as in a cause.
7. to take up or maintain a position or attitude with respect to a person, issue, or the like:
to stand as sponsor for a person.
8. to have or adopt a certain policy, course, or attitude, as of adherence, support, opposition, or resistance:
He stands for free trade.
9. (of things) to be in an upright or vertical position, be set on end, or rest on or as on a support.
10. to be set, placed, fixed, located, or situated:
The building stands at 34th Street and 5th Avenue.
11. (of an account, score, etc.) to show, be, or remain as indicated; show the specified position of the parties concerned:
The score stood 18 to 14 at the half.
12. to remain erect or whole; resist change, decay, or destruction (often fol. by
up):
The ruins still stand. The old building stood up well.
13. to continue in force or remain valid:
The agreement stands as signed.
14. to remain still, stationary, or unused:
The bicycle stood in the basement all winter.
15. to be or become stagnant, as water.
16. (of persons or things) to be or remain in a specified state, condition, relation, relative position, etc.:
He stood in jeopardy of losing his license.
17. to have the possibility or likelihood:
He stands to gain a sizable profit through the sale of the house.
18. Chiefly Brit.to become or be a candidate, as for public office (usually fol. by
for).
19. Naut.
a. to take or hold a particular course at sea.
b. to move in a certain direction:
to stand offshore.
20. (of a male domestic animal, esp. a stud) to be available as a sire, usually for a fee:
Three Derby winners are now standing in Kentucky.
—
v.t.
1. to cause to stand; set upright; set:
Stand the chair by the lamp.
2. to face or encounter:
to stand an assault.
3. to undergo or submit to:
to stand trial.
4. to endure or undergo without harm or damage or without giving way:
His eyes are strong enough to stand the glare.
5. to endure or tolerate:
She can't stand her father.
6. to treat or pay for:
I'll stand you to a drink when the manuscript is in.
7. to perform the duty of or participate in as part of one's job or duty:
to stand watch aboard ship.
8. stand a chance or show, to have a chance or possibility, esp. of winning or surviving:
He's a good shortstop but doesn't stand a chance of making the major leagues because he can't hit.
9. stand by,
a. to uphold; support:
She stood by him whenever he was in trouble.
b. to adhere to (an agreement, promise, etc.); affirm:
She stood by her decision despite her sister's arguments.
c. to stand ready; wait:
Please stand by while I fix this antenna.
d. to get ready to speak, act, etc., as at the beginning of a radio or television program.
e. to be ready to board a plane, train, or other transport if accommodations become available at the last minute.
10. stand down,
a. Law.to leave the witness stand.
b. to step aside; withdraw, as from a competition:
I agreed to stand down so that she could run for the nomination unopposed.
c. to leave or take out of active work or service:
to stand down some of the ships in the fleet.
11. stand for,
a. to represent; symbolize:
P.S. stands for “postscript.”
b. to advocate; favor:
He stands for both freedom and justice.
c. Informal.to tolerate; allow:
I won't stand for any nonsense!
12. stand in with,
a. to be in association or conspiracy with.
b. to enjoy the favor of; be on friendly terms with.
13. stand off,
a. to keep or stay at a distance.
b. to put off; evade.
14. stand on,
a. to depend on; rest on:
The case stands on his testimony.
b. to be particular about; demand:
to stand on ceremony.
c. Naut.to maintain a course and speed.
15. stand out,
a. to project; protrude:
The piers stand out from the harbor wall.
b. to be conspicuous or prominent:
She stands out in a crowd.
c. to persist in opposition or resistance; be inflexible.
d. Naut.to maintain a course away from shore.
16. stand over,
a. to supervise very closely; watch constantly:
He won't work unless someone stands over him.
b. to put aside temporarily; postpone:
to let a project stand over until the following year.
17. stand pat. See
pat 2 (def. 6).
18. stand to,
a. to continue to hold; persist in:
to stand to one's statement.
b. to keep at steadily:
Stand to your rowing, men!
c. to wait in readiness; stand by:
Stand to for action.
19. stand to reason. See
reason (def. 11).
20. stand up,
a. to come to or remain in a standing position:
to stand up when being introduced.
b. to remain strong, convincing, or durable:
The case will never stand up in court. Wool stands up better than silk.
c. Slang.to fail to keep an appointment with (someone, esp. a sweetheart or date):
I waited for Kim for an hour before I realized I'd been stood up.
21. stand up for,
a. to defend the cause of; support:
No one could understand why he stood up for an incorrigible criminal.
b. to serve a bridegroom or bride, as best man or maid (matron) of honor.
22. stand up to, to meet or deal with fearlessly; confront:
to stand up to a bully.
—
n.
1. the act of standing; an assuming of or a remaining in an upright position.
2. a cessation of motion; halt or stop.
3. a determined effort for or against something, esp. a final defensive effort:
Custer's last stand.
4. a determined policy, position, attitude, etc., taken or maintained:
We must take a stand on political issues.
5. the place in which a person or thing stands; station.
6. See
witness stand.
7. a raised platform, as for a speaker, a band, or the like.
8. stands,a raised section of seats for spectators; grandstand.
9. a framework on or in which articles are placed for support, exhibition, etc.:
a hat stand.
10. a piece of furniture of various forms, on or in which to put articles (often used in combination):
a nightstand; a washstand.
11. a small, light table.
12. a stall, booth, counter, or the like, where articles are displayed for sale or where some business is carried on:
a fruit stand.
13. newsstand:
The papers usually hit the stands at 5 a.m.
14. a site or location for business:
After 20 years the ice-cream vendor was still at the same stand.
15. a place or station occupied by vehicles available for hire:
a taxicab stand.
16. the vehicles occupying such a place.
17. the growing trees, or those of a particular species or grade, in a given area.
18. a standing growth, as of grass, wheat, etc.
19. a halt of a theatrical company on tour, to give a performance or performances:
a series of one-night stands on the strawhat trail.
20. the town at which a touring theatrical company gives a performance.
21. hive (def. 2).
22. Metalworking.a rolling unit in a rolling mill.
23. Chiefly Brit.a complete set of arms or accoutrements for one soldier.
24. take the stand, to testify in a courtroom.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
