Definition of "stand"

stand¹

/stænd/

verb
third-person singular simple present stands, present participle standing, simple past stood, past participle stood or (obsolete) standen or (nonstandard) stand
1. To position or be positioned physically:
  1. (intransitive, copulative) To support oneself on the feet in an erect position.
    Quotations
    Then came a maid with hand-bag and shawls, and after her a tall young lady. She stood for a moment holding her skirt above the grimy steps, […], and the light of the reflector fell full upon her.
    1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter V, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd.
    At one time a "standard test" for carriage riding was to stand a pencil on end on the compartment floor, or to measure how long it was possible to stand on one leg without touching the corridor walls; […]
    1961 February, R. K. Evans, “The role of research on British Railways”, in Trains Illustrated, page 93
  2. (intransitive) To rise to one’s feet; to stand up.
  3. (intransitive, copulative) To remain motionless.
    Quotations
    The star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
    1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Matthew 2:9
    The slightest effort made the patient cough. He would stand leaning on a stick and holding a hand to his side, and when the paroxysm had passed it left him shaking.
    1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XXIII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company
    Turning back, then, toward the basement staircase, she began to grope her way through blinding darkness, but had taken only a few uncertain steps when, of a sudden, she stopped short and for a little stood like a stricken thing, quite motionless save that she quaked to her very marrow in the grasp of a great and enervating fear.
    1914, Louis Joseph Vance, chapter III, in Nobody, New York, N.Y.: George H[enry] Doran Company, published 1915
  4. (intransitive) To be placed in an upright or vertical orientation.
    Quotations
    They burned the old gun that used to stand in the dark corner up in the garret, close to the stuffed fox that always grinned so fiercely. Perhaps the reason why he seemed in such a ghastly rage was that he did not come by his death fairly. Otherwise his pelt would not have been so perfect.
    1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […]
    He seized the gun which always stood in a corner of his bedroom […]
    1945 August 17, George Orwell [pseudonym; Eric Arthur Blair], chapter 1, in Animal Farm […], London: Secker & Warburg
  5. (transitive) To place in an upright or standing position.
    Quotations
    At one time a "standard test" for carriage riding was to stand a pencil on end on the compartment floor, or to measure how long it was possible to stand on one leg without touching the corridor walls; [...].
    1961 February, R. K. Evans, “The role of research on British Railways”, in Trains Illustrated, page 93
  6. (intransitive) To occupy or hold a place; to be set, placed, fixed, located, or situated.
    Quotations
    The chapel ſtands on the South ſide of the ſquare, near the governor’s houſe.
    1774, Edward Long, The History of Jamaica. Or, General Survey of the Antient and Modern State of that Island, volume 2, book 2, chapter 7, 6
    Las Vegas police say the number of people injured now stands at 515.
    2017 October 2, "Las Vegas shooting: At least 58 dead at Mandalay Bay Hotel", in bbc.com, BBC
  7. (intransitive) To measure when erect on the feet.
    Quotations
    His face, as I grant, in spite of spite / Has a broad-blown comeliness, red and white, / And six feet two, as I think, he stands; […]
    1855, Alfred Tennyson, “Maud”, in Maud, and Other Poems, London: Edward Moxon, […], part XIII, stanza 1, page 44
  8. (intransitive, of tears, sweat, etc.) To be present, to have welled up.
    Quotations
    many an orphan’s water-standing eye
    c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act V, scene vi]
    now my heart beginneth to melt within me being wounded (with that the tears stood in his eyes) to see the faces of some here present, whom J most earnestly love, and now must depart from with shame […]
    1651, Francis Bacon, “Sir Jervas his Confession”, in A True and Historical Relation of the Poysoning of Sir Thomas Overbury‎, London: John Benson & John Playford, page 71
    [He] pull’d me up again, and then giving me tvvo or three Kiſſes again, thank’d me for my kind yielding to him; and vvas ſo overcome with the Satisfaction and Joy of it, that I savv Tears ſtand in his Eyes.
    1722 (indicated as 1721), [Daniel Defoe], The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders, &c. […], London: […] W[illiam Rufus] Chetwood, […]; and T. Edling, […], published 1722, page 222
    He takes me half-price to the play, to an extent which I sometimes fear is beyond his means; and I see the tears a standing in his eyes during the whole performance […]
    1842 December – 1844 July, Charles Dickens, chapter 32, in The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1844, page 380
    How he escaped a broken neck in that dreadful place no human being will ever ken. The sweat, he has told me, stood in cold drops upon his forehead […]
    1902 January, John Buchan, “The Outgoing of the Tide”, in The Watcher by the Threshold, and Other Tales, Edinburgh, London: William Blackwood and Sons, published 1902, page 258
2. To position or be positioned mentally:
  1. (intransitive, followed by to + infinitive) To be positioned to gain or lose.
  2. (transitive, chiefly in the negative) To tolerate.
    Quotations
    [I]f you call my duds a ‘livery’ again there'll be trouble. It's bad enough to go around togged out like a life saver on a drill day, but I can stand that 'cause I'm paid for it. What I won't stand is to have them togs called a livery.
    1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y., London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company
  3. (intransitive, copulative) To maintain one's ground; to be acquitted; not to fail or yield; to be safe.
    Quotations
    [R]eaders by whose judgment I would stand or fall […]
    1712 February 13 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison], “SATURDAY, February 2, 1711–1712”, in The Spectator, number 291; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume III, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853
  4. (intransitive, copulative) To maintain an invincible or permanent attitude; to be fixed, steady, or firm; to take a position in resistance or opposition.
    Quotations
    The king granted the Jews […] to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life.
    1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Esther 8:11
    the standing pattern of their imitation
    1660 August 8 (Gregorian calendar), Robert South, “(please specify the sermon number)[Sermon preached at St. Mary’s Church in Oxon]”, in Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions. […], new edition, volumes (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: […] Thomas Tegg, […], published 1843
  5. (intransitive, copulative, obsolete) To be in some particular state; to have essence or being; to be; to consist.
    Quotations
    sacrifices […] which stood only in meats and drinks
    1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Hebrews 9:10
    Accomplish what your signs foreshow; / I stand resigned, and am prepared to go.
    1697, Virgil, “(please specify the book number)”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […]
    Thou seest how it stands with me […], and that I may not tarry.
    1826, [Walter Scott], Woodstock; Or, The Cavalier. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green
3. To position or be positioned socially:
  1. (intransitive, cricket) To act as an umpire.
  2. (transitive) To undergo; withstand; hold up.
    Quotations
    Love stood the siege.
    1700, [John] Dryden, “Theodore and Honoria, from Boccace”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […]
    Bid him disband his legions, […] / And stand the judgment of a Roman senate.
    1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, (please specify the page)
    That not for Fame, but Virtue's better end, / He ſtood the furious Foe, the timid Friend, […]
    1735 January 13 (Gregorian calendar; indicated as 1734), [Alexander] Pope, An Epistle from Mr. Pope, to Dr. Arbuthnot, London: […] J[ohn] Wright for Lawton Gilliver […], page 16, lines 324–325
  3. (intransitive, Britain) To be a candidate (in an election).
    Quotations
    He stood to be elected one of the proctors of the university.
    1678, Izaak Walton, The Life of Robert Sanderson
  4. (intransitive) To remain valid.
  5. (transitive) To oppose, usually as a team, in competition.
    Quotations
    "Kim, Jack, and I will stand you guys," Jimmie Burdette said. / "We'll smear you!" laughed Ron.
    1957, Matt Christopher, chapter 7, in Basketball Sparkplug
    The game stopped while sides were sorted out. Andy did the sorting. "Okay," he said. "Jimmy is coming out. He and Gaston and Ike and me will stand you guys."
    c. 1973, R. J. Childerhose, Hockey Fever in Goganne Falls‎, page 95
    "Hey, Louis," Dameon shouted. "Do you want to play kickball?" ¶ ""All right," said Louis. "Ron and I will both play." […] "Ron and I will stand everybody!" Louis announced.
    1978, Louis Sachar, chapter 21, in Sideways Stories from Wayside School, page 86
  6. (transitive) To cover the expense of; to pay for.
    Quotations
    I will either stand a glass of grog, or thou shalt pay the like for me, my lad
    1854, Arthur Pendennis [pseudonym; William Makepeace Thackeray], The Newcomes: Memoirs of a Most Respectable Family, volumes (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […]
  7. (intransitive) To have or maintain a position, order, or rank; to be in a particular relation.
    Quotations
    President Obama gave his first extended television interview since the protests in Libya and Egypt to Telemundo on Wednesday night, and he took the opportunity to explain the U.S.'s role in the developing world while clarifying where the country stands with Egypt right now.
    2022 September 13, Connor Simpson, “Obama is neutral on Egypt right now”, in The Atlantic‎, Washington, D.C.: The Atlantic Monthly Group, archived from the original on 2020-08-04
  8. (intransitive) To be consistent; to agree; to accord.
    Quotations
    Doubt me not, by Heauen, I vvill doe nothing / But vvhat may ſtand vvith honour: […]
    c. 1619 (date written), P[hilip] M[assinger], N[athan] F[ield], The Fatall Dowry: A Tragedy. […], London: […] Iohn Norton, for Francis Constable, […], published 1632, Act IV, signature I2, verso
  9. (intransitive) To appear in court.
4. (intransitive, nautical) Of a ship or its captain, to steer, sail (in a specified direction, for a specified destination etc.).
  Quotations
  To repaire his defects, hee stood for the coast of Calabria, but hearing there was six or seven Galleyes at Mesina hee departed thence for Malta […].
  1630, John Smith, True Travels, Kupperman, published 1988, page 40
5. (intransitive, copulative) To remain without ruin or injury.
  Quotations
  The ruin'd wall / Stands when its wind-worn battlements are gone.
  1816, Lord Byron, “Canto III”, in Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage. Canto the Third, London: Printed for John Murray, […], stanza XXXII
6. (card games) To stop asking for more cards; to keep one's hand as it has been dealt so far.
noun
plural stands
1. The act of standing.
  Quotations
  I took my stand upon an eminence […] to look into their several ladings.
  October 2, 1712, Joseph Addison, The Spectator No. 499
2. A defensive position or effort.
3. A resolute, unwavering position; firm opinion; action for a purpose in the face of opposition.
4. A period of performance in a given location or venue.
5. A device to hold something upright or aloft.
  Quotations
  There was a neat hat-and-umbrella stand, and the stranger's weary feet fell soft on a good, serviceable dark-red drugget, which matched in colour the flock-paper on the walls.
  1913, Mrs. [Marie] Belloc Lowndes, chapter II, in The Lodger, London: Methuen; republished in Novels of Mystery: The Lodger; The Story of Ivy; What Really Happened, New York, N.Y.: Longmans, Green and Co., […], page 0091
6. The platform on which a witness testifies in court; the witness stand or witness box.
  Quotations
  Shortly after Ellison started at Alameda around fall 2018 as a trader, she learned that the company was financially far sicker than she had known, she said on the stand.
  2023 October 11, Victoria Bekiempis, “Bankman-Fried’s ex-girlfriend to take stand again after day of dramatic testimony”, in The Guardian‎
7. (historical) An area of raised seating for waiters at the stock exchange.
  Quotations
  When a member has failed to comply with his bargains the fact is announced from one of the stands, […]
  1923, Julius E. Day, The Stockbroker's Office: Organisation, Management and Accounts, page 99
  Just as that clock is striking now, the two waiters appear on the stands and take off their hats, as if to a corpse.
  1934, Frances Cosgrove, Scenes for Student Actors: Dramatic Selections from New Plays, page 8
8. A particular grove or other group of trees or shrubs.
  Quotations
  Pernambuco is a coastal wood which grows in maintained stands in Brazil.
  2000, James Beament, The Violin Explained: Components, Mechanism, and Sound, page 159
9. (forestry) A contiguous group of trees sufficiently uniform in age-class distribution, composition, and structure, and growing on a site of sufficiently uniform quality, to be a distinguishable unit.
10. A standstill, a motionless state, as of someone confused, or a hunting dog who has found game.
  Quotations
  One of the later school of the Grecians, examineth the matter, and is at a stand, to think what should be in it, that men should love lies; where neither they make for pleasure, as with poets, nor for advantage, as with the merchant; but for the lie’s sake.
  1625, Francis Bacon, “Of Truth”, in Essays
  Antonia's patience now was at a stand— "Come, come, 't is no time now for fooling there," She whispered […]
  1819, Lord Byron, Don Juan, I.168
11. A small building, booth, or stage, as in a bandstand or hamburger stand.
12. A designated spot where someone or something may stand or wait.
13. (US, dated) The situation of a shop, store, hotel, etc.
14. (US, historical) Short for tavern stand (“a roadside inn”).
15. (sports) Grandstand. (often in the plural)
  Quotations
  The end of the opening period was relatively quite [sic] as Vassiljev's desperate shot from well outside the penalty area flew into the stand housing the Irish supporters and then Ward's ctoss [sic] was gathered by goalkeeper Pareiko.
  2011 November 11, Rory Houston, “Estonia 0-4 Republic of Ireland”, in RTE Sport
16. (cricket) A partnership.
  Quotations
  England wrapped up a five-wicket victory in the first Test as a stand of 132 between Alastair Cook and Ian Bell saw off an early West Indies charge.
  2012 May 21, Tom Fordyce, “England v West Indies: Hosts cruise home in Lord's Test”, in BBC Sport
17. (military, plural often stand) A single set, as of arms.
  Quotations
  The police and troops captured eleven thousand stand of arms, including muskets and pistols, together with several thousand bludgeons and other weapons.
  1927, Herbert Asbury, The Gangs of New York: An Informal History of the Underworld, Paragon House, published 1990, page 170
18. (obsolete) Rank; post; station; standing.
  Quotations
  Father, since your fortune did attain / So high a stand, I mean not to descend.
  1595, Samuel Daniel, “(please specify the folio number)”, in The First Fowre Bookes of the Ciuile Wars between the Two Houses of Lancaster and Yorke, London: […] P[eter] Short for Simon Waterson
19. (dated) A state of perplexity or embarrassment.
20. A young tree, usually reserved when other trees are cut; also, a tree growing or standing upon its own root, in distinction from one produced from a scion set in a stock, either of the same or another kind of tree.
21. A location or position where one may stand.
  Quotations
  Come, I have found you out a stand most fit, / Where you may have such vantage on the duke, / He shall not pass you.
  c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)
22. (advertising) An advertisement filling an entire billboard, comprising many sheets of paper.
  Quotations
  The cost of the printing alone will average $2 a 'stand.' The sheets are about 28x42 inches and are in four colors, which means they must go through the process four times.
  1900, Marketing Communications, volume 30, page 12
  Crew of 14 billers and a four-man brigade will be 10 days ahead and will use all special paper including new jungle and animal designs being prepared by Enquirer Printing Company.New this season will be a 20-sheet poster depicting 21 K-M elephants parading to local Chevrolet agencies. Deal calls for use of the 20-sheet on poster panels where the auto agency has space allotment. Smaller versions of the same art also will be used.Circulation of Kelly-Miller heralds, which last season averaged between 5,000 and 6,000 copies per stand, will be in for one of the greatest boosts this year.
  1951 February 24, Billboard, page 52
23. (fiction) A type of supernatural ability from the anime and manga series JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, named for the fact that they appear to 'stand' next to their user.

stand²

/stænd/

noun
plural stands
1. (US, Scotland, dated) A container which stands upright, such as a barrel or cask.
  Quotations
  Item, for a ſtande of small ale - ii s.
  1559, The Progresses and Public Processions of Queen Elizabeth. Among Which are Interspersed, Other Solemnities, Public Expenditures, and Remarkable Events, During the Reign of that Illustrious Princess. […], volume I, […] the Editor [John Nichols], […], published 1788, page 45
  […] one gialfatte, 3 stannes 3s., […]
  1582, Rural Economy in Yorkshire in 1641, Being the Farming and Account Books of Henry Best, of Elmswell, in the East Riding of the County of York (The Publications of the Surtees Society; volume XXXIII), Durham: […] for the Society by George Andrews, […]. London: Whittaker & Co., […]; T. & W. Boone, […]. Edinburgh: William Blackwood and Sons, published 1857, page 172
  Therefore at length sir Iefferie bethought him of a feat whereby he might both visit the alestond, and also keepe his othe.
  1588, Martin Mar-prelate, An Epistle to the Terrible Priests of the Convocation House, London: John Petheram, published 1842, page 54
  Memp. Ile teach my wag-halter to know grapes from barley. Pris. And I mine to discerne a spigot from a faucet. Spe. And I mine, to iudge the difference between a blacke boule and a siluer goblet. Stel. And mine shall learne the oddes betweene a stand and a hogs-head; yet I cannot choose but laugh to see how my wag aunswered mee, when I stroke him for drinking sacke.
  1594, John Lyly, “Mother Bombie”, in The Complete Works of John Lyly, published 1902, page 193
  As for the Tapſter, he fled into the Cellar, rapping out fiue or ſixe plaine Country oathes, that hée would drowne himſelfe in a moſt villanous Stand of Ale, if the ſicke Londoner ſtoode at the doore any longer.
  1603, Thomas Dekker, “The VVonderfull Yeare”, in The Non-Dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker, volume I, published 1884, pages 123–124
  I have the rareſt Stand of Ale to drink out in the Afternoon, with three or four honeſt Country-fellows;
  1672, Thomas Shadwell, “Epsom-Wells”, in The Works of Thomas Shadwell, volume the second, London: […] James Knapton, […]; and Jacob Tonson, […], published 1720, page 196
  […] that he may have leave to meet ſome few Neighbours to duſt a ſtand of Ale […]
  1674, A Letter from a Gentleman of the Romish Religion to His Brother, a Person of Quality of the Same Religion; Perswading Him to Go to Church, and Take Those Oaths the Law Directs, Proving the Lawfulness Thereof by Arguments Not Disagreeable to Doctrines of the Roman Church, London: […] John Starkey, page 28
  All his war ſtore of proviſions conſiſted in three ſtands of barbicued veniſon, till he had an opportunity to revenge blood, and return home.
  1775, James Adair, The History of The American Indians; Particularly Those Nations Adjoining to the Missisippi, East and West Florida, Georgia, South and North Carolina, and Virginia: […], London: […] Edward and Charles Dilly, page 395
  First dip me in a stand o milk, / And then a stand o water;
  a. 1791, “Tam Lin”, in Francis James Child, editor, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, part II, Boston, Mass.: Houghton, Mifflin and Company; New York: […]; The Riverside Press, Cambridge; London: Henry Stevens, […], published 1884, page 344
2. (obsolete) A weight of from two hundred and fifty to three hundred pounds, used in weighing pitch.

Definition of "stand"

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stand2

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stand²