stand down phrasal verb British English (see also stand)

1. to agree to leave your position or to stop trying to be elected, so that someone else can have a chance Synonym : step down American English
stand down as
He was obliged to stand down as a parliamentary candidate.

2. to leave the witness box in a court of law

3. stand (somebody) down if a soldier stands down or is stood down, he stops working for the day

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲