stand

views updated May 23 2018

stand / stand/ • v. (past stood / stoŏd/ ) 1. [intr.] have or maintain an upright position, supported by one's feet: Lionel stood in the doorway she stood still, heart hammering. ∎  rise to one's feet: the two men stood up and shook hands. ∎  [intr.] move to and remain in a specified position: she stood aside to let them enter. ∎  [tr.] place or set in an upright or specified position: don't stand the plant in direct sunlight. ∎  [tr.] Bell-ringing bring (a bell) to rest in the mouth upward position ready for ringing.2. [intr.] (of an object, building, or settlement) be situated in a particular place or position: the town stood on a hill the hotel stands in three acres of gardens. ∎  (of a building or other vertical structure) remain upright and entire rather than fall into ruin or be destroyed: after the heavy storms, only one house was left standing. ∎  remain valid or unaltered: my decision stands his strikeout record stood for 38 years. ∎  (esp. of a vehicle) remain stationary: the train now standing on track 3. ∎  (of a liquid) collect and remain motionless: avoid planting in soil where water stands in winter. ∎  (of food, a mixture, or liquid) rest without disturbance, typically so as to infuse or marinate: pour boiling water over the fruit and leave it to stand for 5 minutes. ∎  [intr.] (of a ship) remain on a specified course: the ship was standing north.3. [intr.] be in a specified state or condition: since mother's death, the house had stood empty sorry, darling—I stand corrected. ∎  adopt a particular attitude toward a matter or issue: students should consider where they stand on this issue. ∎  be of a specified height: Sampson was a small man, standing 5 ft. 4 in. tall. ∎  (stand at) be at (a particular level or value): the budget stood at $14 million per annum. ∎  [intr.] be in a situation where one is likely to do something: investors stood to lose heavily. ∎  act in a specified capacity: he stood watch all night. ∎  (also stand at stud) [intr.] (of a stallion) be available for breeding.4. [tr.] withstand (an experience or test) without being damaged: small boats that could stand the punishment of heavy seas. ∎  inf. be able to endure or tolerate: I can't stand the way Mom talks to him. ∎  inf. strongly dislike: I can't stand brandy.5. [intr.] Brit. be a candidate in an election: he stood for Parliament in 1968.6. provide (food or drink) for someone at one's own expense: somebody in the bar would stand him a beer.• n. 1. [usu. in sing.] an attitude toward a particular issue; a position taken in an argument: the party's tough stand on welfare his traditionalist stand. ∎  a determined effort to resist or fight for something: this was not the moment to make a stand for independence we have to take a stand against racism. ∎  an act of holding one's ground against or halting to resist an opposing force: Custer's legendary last stand.2. a place where, or an object on which, someone or something stands, sits, or rests, in particular: ∎  a large raised tiered structure for spectators, typically at a sports arena: her parents watched from the stands. ∎  a rack, base, or piece of furniture for holding, supporting, or displaying something: a microphone stand. ∎  a small stall or booth in a street, market, or public building from which goods are sold: a hot-dog stand. ∎  a raised platform for a band, orchestra, or speaker. ∎  (the stand) (also witness stand) a witness box: Sergeant Harris took the stand. ∎  the place where someone typically stands or sits: she took her stand in front of the desks. ∎  a place where vehicles, typically taxicabs, wait for passengers.3. [usu. in sing.] a cessation from motion or progress: the train drew to a stand by the signal box. ∎  each halt made on a touring theatrical production to give one or more performances.4. a group of growing plants of a specified kind, esp. trees: a stand of poplars.PHRASES: as it stands in its present condition: there are no merits in the proposal as it stands. ∎  (also as things stand) in the present circumstances: the country would struggle, as it stands, to host the next Winter Olympic Games.it stands to reasonsee reason.stand a chancesee chance.stand one's ground maintain one's position, typically in the face of opposition: she stood her ground, refusing to let him intimidate her.stand someone in good steadsee stead.stand on one's own (two) feet be or become self-reliant or independent.stand out a milesee mile.stand out like a sore thumbsee sore.stand patsee pat2 .stand trial be tried in a court of law.stand up and be counted state publicly one's support for someone or something.will the real —— please stand up inf. used rhetorically to indicate that the specified person should clarify their position or reveal their true character: he was so different from the unhappy man of a week ago—would the real Jack Lawrence please stand up?PHRASAL VERBS: stand alone be unequaled: when it came to fun, Julia stood alone.stand aside take no action to prevent, or not involve oneself in, something that is happening: the army had stood aside as the monarchy fell. ∎ another way of saying stand down (sense 1) below.stand back withdraw from a situation emotionally in order to view it more objectively. ∎ another way of saying stand aside above.stand by1. be present while something bad is happening but fail to take any action to stop it: he was beaten to the ground as onlookers stood by.2. support or remain loyal to (someone), typically in a time of need: she had stood by him during his years in prison. ∎  adhere to or abide by (something promised, stated, or decided): the government must stand by its pledges.3. be ready to deal or assist with something: two battalions were on their way, and a third was standing by.stand down1. withdraw or resign from a position or office: he stood down as leader of the party.2. (stand down or stand someone down) relax or cause to relax after a state of readiness: if something doesn't happen soon, I guess they'll stand us down.3. (of a witness) leave the witness stand after giving evidence.stand for1. be an abbreviation of or symbol for: NASA stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration.2. inf. refuse to endure or tolerate: I won't stand for any nonsense.3. support (a cause or principle): we stand for animal welfare.stand in1. deputize: Brown stood in for the injured Simpson.2. Naut. sail closer to the shore.stand off move or keep away: the women stood off at a slight distance. ∎  Naut. sail further away from the shore.stand someone off keep someone away: repel someone.stand on1. be scrupulous in the observance of: call me Alex—let's not stand on formality.2. Naut. continue on the same course.stand out1. project from a surface: the veins in his neck stood out. ∎  be easily noticeable: he was one of those men who stood out in a crowd. ∎  be clearly better or more significant than someone or something: four issues stand out as being of crucial importance.2. persist in opposition or support of something: she stood out against public opinion the company stood out for the product it wanted.stand over1. stand close to (someone) so as to watch, supervise, or intimidate them.2. (stand over or stand something over) be postponed or postpone to be dealt with at a later date: a number of points were stood over to a further meeting.stand to [often in imper.] Mil. stand ready for an attack, esp. one before dawn or after dark.stand up (of an argument, claim, evidence, etc.) remain valid after close scrutiny or analysis: but will your story stand up in court?stand someone up inf. fail to keep an appointment with a boyfriend or girlfriend.stand up for speak or act in support of: she learned to stand up for herself. ∎  act as best man for in a wedding.stand up to1. make a spirited defense against: giving workers the confidence to stand up to their employers.2. be resistant to the harmful effects of (prolonged wear or use).DERIVATIVES: stand·er n.ORIGIN: Old English standan (verb), stand (noun), of Germanic origin, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin stare and Greek histanai, also by the noun stead.

stand

views updated Jun 11 2018

stand pt., pp. stood
A. assume or maintain an erect position on the feet; be upright on a base; be set or placed OE.;

B. confront, face XIV; cause to stand, set upright XIX. OE. str. vb. standan = OS. standan (Du. pt. stond). OHG. stantan (G. pt. stand), ON. standa, Goth. standan :- Gmc. *standan, formed, with suffix *-nd- (:- IE. *-nt-) in the pres. stem and *-þ-, *-ð- (:- IE. *-t-) in the perfect stem, on the base *sta- *stō- :- IE. *st(h)ə- *st(h)ā- stand, cause to stand, repr. in L. stāre, Gr. histánai, OSl. stati, Skr. sthā-. In some Gmc. langs. the pres. stem has a shorter form (by infl. of gān, gēn GO), e.g. OS. stān (Du. staan), OHG. stān, stēn (G. stehen).

Hence sb. † delay OE. (late Nhb.); place of standing, position XIII; act of standing, stop, halt XVI; appliance to stand on XVII. Comps. standpoint (physical or mental) point of view. XIX. f. STAND vb. + POINT sb., after G. standpunkt (XVIII. standstill XVIII. f. phr. stand still (STILL1).

stand

views updated May 18 2018

stand (ecol.)
1. The standing growth of plants, e.g. trees
.
2. A term used in vegetation classification to describe a distinctive plant association that may be recognized elsewhere. The composition may vary slightly but the recognition of stands enables comparisons between different vegetation communities to be made. Sometimes the suffix -etum is added to the stem of the generic name of the dominant species.

stand

views updated May 18 2018

stand(ecol.)
1. The standing growth of plants (e.g. trees).

2. In vegetation classification, a distinctive plant association that may be recognized elsewhere. The composition may vary slightly but the recognition of stands enables comparisons between different vegetation communities to be made. Sometimes the suffix -etum is added to the stem of the generic name of the dominant species.

Stand

views updated May 29 2018

Stand

a suit or set, as of soldiers, clothes; a suit of armour; a hive of bees; a stud of horses; an assemblage of game birds.

Examples : stand of armour (a suit); of bees; of bells, 1534; of birds, 1881; of sugar cane, 1887; of clothes; of planted cotton, 1904; of flamingoes; of horses, 1711; of chain mail, 1896; of needles (set of four); of pikes, 1598; of gold plover, 1882; of plovers; of timber, 1767; of trees; of wheat, 1868.

Stand

views updated May 18 2018

STAND

The location in a courtroom where the parties and witnesses offer their testimony. To appear in court; to submit to the jurisdiction of the court.

To stand trial, for example, means to try, or be tried on, a particular issue in a particular court.