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to stand

to stand

∞ 2.7
To have a particular opinion on something
  • verb
  • /stænd/
: mantener
  • And where do you stand on goal setting and habits?
  • know where you stand
  • stand firm
  • stand in opposition

If you make a joke, does that mean you stand with that?

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Examples

  • America's culture of life stands in stark contrast to the jihadists' culture of death.

    Academic text (2008)
  • But still, that's where we stand as the week comes to an end.

  • So either have the opinion, stand by it, OK?

  • I want to find out where do you guys stand today?

  • - You all know what I stand for.

  • If you make a joke, does that mean you stand with that?

  • I stand by it.

  • I despise John Iselin and everything that Iselinism has come to stand for.

  • Regardless of where one stands on these normative questions, the descriptive point is unmistakable.

    Academic text (2017)
  • I want to know where you stand on the environmental policy discussion.

Synonyms

to hold
vsto stand
∞ 1.1

To believe something to be true

is simply about having a particular opinion without emphasis on expression
to stand firm
vsto stand
28 3.7

Keep your decision or opinion when others try to make you change

is more neutral, meaning to keep an opinion without extra force
to make a stand
vsto stand
28 4.6

Publicly say you strongly agree or disagree with something

is about holding an opinion privately or generally rather than publicly declaring it
to stand your ground
vsto stand
  • Informal
16 5.7

To keep your position when others disagree

is about holding an opinion but not necessarily resisting strong pressure
to stand fast
vsto stand
7 6.4

Refuse to change your mind when others disagree

is about keeping an opinion but without stressing resistance to challenge
to stand pat
vsto stand
4 7.9

To keep the same opinion or decision and not change it

is about having or keeping an opinion without highlighting fixed refusal
2 4.4

To state an opinion strongly and refuse to change it when others disagree

is more general, meaning to have or keep an opinion rather than declare it strongly

Antonyms

∞ 1.0

To make something or someone different

7 8.1

To be unable to decide and keep changing between choices

Idioms

To seem likely from the facts

To have a good reason or proof to support your claim

Use other people's ideas or work to move forward

Act very formally and keep to strict social rules

Make progress by using the ideas and work of earlier people

To publicly show support, often when doing so is risky

3 8.1

Unable to handle pressure or strong criticism

Make people notice you in a group

Make new progress by using important ideas or work from people who came before

To help someone later in life or work

2 5.3

Cause a strong fear or surprise that gives you goosebumps

To leave a place quickly because you do not want to be there

Imagine yourself in another person's situation to understand how they feel

1 7.9

Have no good reason or evidence to support a claim

To stay still and feel awkward when you should do something

Keep doing what you believe is right even when it is hard

1 9.9

To be unsure and not decide

Support and stay loyal to your husband or partner during hard times

To keep trying after many failures no matter how often you fail

Do things that stop you from succeeding

To support yourself without help from other people

A question asking which person is the real one

Phrasal Verbs

938 3.2

To defend yourself when someone treats you unfairly

485 2.8

To publicly support an idea or cause

424 2.6

Be ready to act if needed

378 1.0

To get up from sitting or lying and be on your feet

341 3.2

Strongly dislike and be unable to bear something or someone

261 2.7

Defend or support someone who is treated unfairly

253 3.2

To be easy to notice because you are different or better

236 3.2

Support someone through difficult times

187 3.1

To represent something by a sign or short name

Stop someone from reaching their goal

143 5.1

To stop doing a job, duty or action after someone tells you to

129 1.6

Move away and keep a safe distance from something or someone for safety

119 1.0

Stay upright in one place without moving

115 4.2

Watch without helping when someone is in danger

111 2.9

Support a person, group, or cause during hard times

91 6.0

To speak in court as a witness about what you saw

82 1.7

To wait in a line of people for your turn

to stand for
  • Informal
65 3.5

To accept something bad or wrong without complaining

To appear in court to be judged for a crime

45 3.5

To take someone else's place for a short time

39 3.0

To continue to be correct when people check it

To join others to support the same cause

To stay in one place and watch to protect someone or something

28 1.0

To put something so it is straight and not lying down

28 3.7

Keep your decision or opinion when others try to make you change

Publicly say you strongly agree or disagree with something

To take someone's place for a short time

To resist a person or rule that treats people unfairly

16 3.4

To stay awake and guard people or a place

16 5.7

To keep your position when others disagree

To be independent and not need help from others

To come together and support the same cause

10 4.2

Hold the body straight with feet together and arms at the sides like a soldier

9 6.5

You feel upset or faint when you see something you dislike

8 4.1

To be a candidate in an election

Refuse to change your mind when others disagree

Support and defend other people who share a cause

4 7.9

To keep the same opinion or decision and not change it

To balance on one leg with the other leg raised

Speak or act to support fairness when it is threatened

To state an opinion strongly and refuse to change it when others disagree

to stand sentinel
  • Literature
1 7.0

To watch and guard a place or person

To say firmly what you need or think when people treat you unfairly

Help or act for others when they need support

to stand fire
  • Archaic
1 7.9

To face danger, criticism, or pressure without showing fear

to stand to gawk
  • Informal
1 6.4

To stand still and stare with your mouth open in surprise

Compounds

110 4.3

A desk or counter you use while standing rather than sitting

55 3.9

A raised place in a courtroom where a person tells what they saw

53 6.3

A sexual encounter that happens for only one night and does not continue

stand-alone
  • Specialized
26 4.9

Able to work by itself without other equipment

23 4.2

A person who takes another person's place, for example in a performance or at work

18 6.1

A final strong effort to resist a change or attack when defeat seems near

7 7.9

A law allowing someone to use force, even deadly force, without first trying to leave when threatened

stand-down
  • Jargon
5 6.3

A temporary pause in military activity to let troops rest and stop being on alert

4 1.6

A thing that holds sheet music so a musician can read it while playing

A raised platform where officials and guests watch a parade or ceremony

3 3.4

Electric machine with a bowl that beats and kneads dough

A show that happens in one place for only one night

An 1876 battle at Little Bighorn where Sioux and Cheyenne killed General Custer and his soldiers

1 5.0

A series of games a team plays at its home stadium

1 2.3

A piece of furniture with a tall pole and hooks for hanging coats

stand-up
  • Jargon
1 3.7

A short meeting where team members stand and give brief updates about work

stand oil
  • Specialized
1 9.6

A thick slow-drying oil artists mix into paint to make it smoother and shinier

1 1.2

A metal rack where you park and lock a bicycle

wash-hand stand
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A small table that holds a basin and pitcher for washing hands before indoor plumbing

A rack for holding and locking bikes

stand-in
  • Specialized
1 5.8

A simple fake used in software tests to act like a real service

An area of seats under a roof that shelters spectators from weather

A small holder for oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper on a dining table

9.6

A short romantic or sexual meeting that lasts part of one night without starting a relationship

How Firmly

to stand firm
28 3.7
to hold fast
17 5.5
to stand
∞ 2.7
to support
∞ 1.0
to lean
269 3.7

Surface Forms

stand infinitive
standing present participle
stands third person singular
stood past
stood past participle

Etymology

The verb stand meaning to keep a particular opinion comes from the same physical idea of not moving from a place. So to stand for something is to keep that position or belief and not change it.