stand[verb]Synonyms:- be upright, be erect, be vertical, rise
- put, mount, place, position, set
- exist, be valid, continue, hold, obtain, prevail, remain
- tolerate, abide, allow, bear, brook, countenance, endure, handle, put up with
(informal), stomach, take
[noun]Synonyms:- stall, booth, table
- position, attitude, determination, opinion, stance
- support, base, bracket, dais, platform, rack, stage, tripod
Related Idioms: hack it, take lying down
English Thesaurus: stand, be on your feet, get up, stand up, get to your feet, ... [TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲
I. stand1 S1 W1 /stænd/
verb (
past tense and past participle stood /stʊd/)
[
Word Family: adjective:
standing,
outstanding,
upstanding;
noun:
stand,
standing;
verb:
stand;
adverb:
outstandingly]
[
Language: Old English;
Origin: standan]
1. BE ON FEET (
also be standing up)
[intransitive] to support yourself on your feet or be in an upright position:
It looks like we’ll have to stand – there are no seats left. She stood in the doorway. Stand still (=do not move) and listen to me. Don’t just stand there (=stand and not do anything) – help me!stand on tiptoe/stand on your toes (=support yourself on your toes) If he stood on tiptoe, he could reach the shelf.stand (somewhere) doing something They just stood there laughing. We stood watching the rain fall.2. RISE (
also stand up)
[intransitive] to rise to an upright position:
Smiling, she stood and closed the blinds.3. STEP [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] a) to step a short distance
stand back/aside She stood back to let him in.stand clear of something British English (=step away from something in order to be safe) Stand clear of the doors, please. b) British English to accidentally step on or in something
stand on/in Don’t stand in that puddle!4. IN A PARTICULAR POSITION [intransitive, transitive usually + adverb/preposition] to be upright in a particular position, or to put something or someone somewhere in an upright position:
A lamp stood on the table. Near the railway station stood a hotel. Some remains of the original house still stand.stand something on/in etc something Can you stand that pole in the corner for now? I closed the lid and stood the case against the wall.stand somebody (up) on something Stand Molly up on a chair so she can see.5. IN A STATE/CONDITION [linking verb] to be or stay in a particular state or condition:
The kitchen door stood open so she went in.stand empty/idle (=not being used) scores of derelict houses standing empty I’m not too thrilled with the way things stand (=the state that the situation is in) at the moment. The evidence, as it stands (=as it is now), cannot be conclusive.where/how do things stand? (=used to ask what is happening in a situation) Where do things stand in terms of the budget? I will know within the next month or two how I stand (=what my situation is).stand united/divided (=agree or disagree completely) He urged the whole community to stand united and to reject terrorism.stand prepared/ready to do something (=be prepared to do something whenever it is necessary) We should stand ready to do what is necessary to guarantee the peace. countries that have stood together (=stayed united) in times of crisisstand in awe of somebody (=admire them, be afraid of them, or both)6. NOT LIKE can’t stand spoken used to say that you do not like someone or something at all, or that you think that something is extremely unpleasant
Synonym : can’t bear:
I can’t stand bad manners. I know he can’t stand the sight of me.can’t stand (somebody/something) doing something Lily can’t stand working in an office. I can’t stand people smoking around me when I’m eating.can’t stand to do something She can’t stand to hear them arguing.7. ACCEPT A SITUATION [transitive usually in questions and negatives] to be able to accept or deal well with a difficult situation
Synonym : toleratecan/could stand something I couldn’t stand the thought of leaving Danielle. I’ve had about as much as I can stand of your arguing! I don’t know if I can stand the waiting any longer.can stand somebody doing something How can you stand Marty coming home late all the time? She’s a strong woman who stands no nonsense from anyone.8. BE GOOD ENOUGH [transitive] to be good or strong enough to last a long time or to experience a particular situation without being harmed, damaged etc:
Linen can stand very high temperatures. His poetry will stand the test of time (=stay popular).9. stand to do something to be likely to do or have something
stand to gain/lose/win/make What do firms think they stand to gain by merging? After the oil spill, thousands of fishermen stand to lose their livelihoods.10. NOT MOVE [intransitive] to stay in a particular place without moving ⇒
standstill:
The car’s been standing in the garage for weeks. The mixture was left to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. The train was already standing at the platform.11. HEIGHT [linking verb] formal to be a particular height:
The trophy stands five feet high. John stood six feet tall.12. LEVEL/AMOUNT [linking verb] to be at a particular level or amount
stand at His former workforce of 1,300 now stands at 220. Illiteracy rates are still thought to stand above 50 percent.13. RANK/POSITION [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to have a particular rank or position when compared with similar things or people
Synonym : rank:
The president stands high in the public opinion polls. How do their sales stand in relation to those of similar firms? His book could stand alongside the best.14. ELECTION [intransitive] British English to try to become elected to a council, parliament etc
Synonym : run American Englishstand for She announced her intention to stand for parliament.15. DECISION/OFFER [intransitive not in progressive] if a decision, offer etc stands, it continues to exist, be correct, or be
valid:
Despite protests, the official decision stood. My offer of help still stands.16. if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen used to tell someone that they should leave a job or situation if they cannot deal with its difficulties
17. somebody/something could stand something used to say very directly that it would be a good idea for someone to do something or for something to happen:
His smile exposed teeth that could stand a good scrubbing.somebody could stand to do something My doctor told me I could stand to lose a few pounds.18. I stand corrected spoken formal used to admit that your opinion or something that you just said was wrong
19. where somebody stands someone’s opinion about something
where somebody stands on We still do not know where he stands on the matter. You must decide where you stand.20. from where I stand spoken according to what I know or feel:
I knew from where I stood that the stocks were practically worthless.21. know where you stand (with somebody) to know how someone feels about you, or what you are allowed to do in a particular situation:
At least we know where we stand with Steven now. I’d like to know where I stand. It helps to know where you stand legally.22. stand to attention British English,
stand at attention American English if soldiers stand to attention, they stand very straight and stiff to show respect
23. stand on your head/hands to support yourself on your head or hands, with your feet in the air
24. stand in line American English to wait in a line of people until it is your turn to do something
Synonym : queue British English:
Customers stood in line for 20 minutes at the cash register.25. stand firm/stand fast a) to refuse to be forced to move backwards:
She stood firm, blocking the entrance. b) to refuse to change your opinions, intentions, or behaviour:
The government continued to stand firm and no concessions were made.stand firm/stand fast on/against He stands firm on his convictions.26. stand pat American English to refuse to change a decision, plan etc
stand pat on Harry’s standing pat on his decision to fire Janice.27. stand alone a) to continue to do something alone, without help from anyone else:
Some of the Pacific islands are too small to stand alone as independent states. b) to be much better than anything or anyone else:
For sheer entertainment value, Kelly stood alone.28. stand still to not change or progress at all, even though time has passed:
No industry can stand still. Time seems to have stood still in this lovely hotel.29. stand a chance/hope (of doing something) to be likely to be able to do something or to succeed:
You’ll stand a better chance of getting a job with a degree. Maybe their relationship had never really stood a chance.30. stand in sb’s way (
also stand in the way) to prevent someone from doing something:
I always encouraged Brian. I didn’t want to stand in his way. You can’t stand in the way of progress!31. stand on your own (two) feet to be able to do what you need to do, earn your own money, etc without help from others:
She’s never learned to stand on her own feet.32. it stands to reason (that) used to say that something should be completely clear to anyone who is sensible:
It stands to reason that you cannot find the right person to do a job unless you know exactly what that job is.33. stand or fall by/on something to depend on something for success:
The case against him will stand or fall on its own merits.34. LIQUID [intransitive] a liquid that stands does not flow or is not made to move:
standing pools of marsh water35. stand guard (over somebody/something) to watch someone or something so that they do not do anything wrong or so that nothing bad happens to them:
Soldiers stand guard on street corners. You must stand guard over him at all times.36. stand bail British English to promise to pay money if someone does not return to a court of law to be judged
37. stand trial to be brought to a court of law to have your case examined and judged
stand trial for/on Gresham will stand trial for murder. The accused was ordered to stand trial on a number of charges.38. stand accused (of something) a) to be the person in a court of law who is being judged for a crime:
The former president stands accused of lying to the nation’s parliament. b) if you stand accused of doing something bad or wrong, other people say that you have done it:
The radio station stands accused of racism.39. stand tall a) to stand with your back straight and your head raised:
Stand tall with your feet comfortably apart. b) American English to be proud and feel ready to deal with anything:
We will stand tall and fight for issues of concern to our community.40. somebody can do something standing on their head informal used to say that someone is able to do something easily:
This is basic stuff. I can do it standing on my head.41. be stood on its head if something is stood on its head, it becomes the opposite of what it was before:
One area of the business which has been stood on its head is internal communications.42. not stand on ceremony British English to not worry about the formal rules of polite behaviour:
Come on, Mal. Don’t stand on ceremony here at home.43. stand somebody a drink/meal etc British English to pay for something as a gift to someone:
Come on, Jack. I’ll stand you a drink if you like. ⇒
make sb’s hair stand on end at
hair(8), ⇒
leave somebody/something standing at
leave1(15), ⇒
not have a leg to stand on at
leg1(7), ⇒
stand/serve/hold somebody in good stead at
stead(2), ⇒
stand your ground at
ground1(7)
[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲
II. stand2 noun [countable] [
Word Family: adjective:
standing,
outstanding,
upstanding;
noun:
stand,
standing;
verb:
stand;
adverb:
outstandingly]
1. FOR SUPPORT a piece of furniture or equipment used to hold or support something:
a music stand a cake stand He adjusted the microphone stand.coat stand/hat stand (=for hanging coats or hats on)2. FOR SELLING a table or small structure used for selling or showing things
Synonym : stall British English:
a hotdog stand an exhibition stand The shop was crowded with display stands and boxes. One week, three magazines hit the stands (=became available to buy) with Peace Corps stories. ⇒
newsstand3. OPINION/ATTITUDE [usually singular] a position or opinion that you state firmly and publicly
stand on the Republicans’ conservative stand on social and environmental issues She was accused of not taking a stand on feminism or civil rights.4. OPPOSE/DEFEND a strong effort to defend yourself or to oppose something
take/make/mount a stand (against something) We have to take a stand against racism.5. the stands [plural] (
also the stand British English) a building where people stand or sit to watch the game at a sports ground ⇒
grandstand:
In the stands, fifty of Jill’s friends and family have come to watch her last game.6. the stand a
witness box:
Will the next witness please take the stand (=go into the witness box)?7. CRICKET the period of time in which two
BATSMEN are playing together in a game of
cricket, or the points that they get during this time
8. TAXIS/BUSES a place where taxis or buses stop and wait for passengers:
There’s a taxi stand on Glen Road.9. TREES a group of trees of one type growing close together
stand of a stand of eucalyptus trees [TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲