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Glite Dictionary
✊ To support 🔤 To mean 🙅 To tolerate 🗳️ To run (election)
to stand for

to stand for

165 3.1
To represent something by a sign or short name
  • phrasal verb
  • /stænd fɔr/
translation icon : significar
  • Everyone can see what NATO stands for and why it matters.
  • an acronym stands for
  • a letter stands for
  • come to stand for

What are your thoughts on HRT that stands for hormone replacement therapy.

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Examples

  • Reading is easy once you catch on that every letter just stands for a sound.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • So, what does the "Y" stand for?

    Julia X (2011)

  • What does the M stand for in M Night?

  • - What does the "T" stand for?

    Romancing the Stone (1984)

  • No one knows what the D stands for.

    Fast Charlie (2023)

  • Do you know what GUN stands for?

    Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024)

  • Does anybody know what O.S. stands for?

    The Postman (1997)

  • AA stands for Aiming Assist.

    Alien: Romulus (2024)

  • Allie knew the language of flowers, the idea that every bloom stands for some quality of human nature.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • What does the M stand for in M Night?

Synonyms

to mean
vsto stand for
∞ 1.6

Show what a word, sign, or action represents

includes use as an abbreviation or general sign
to represent
vsto stand for
395 3.4

Be a symbol of something, for example a dove for peace

covers abbreviations and short forms as well
to symbolize
vsto stand for
  • US
104 4.2

To show an idea or feeling with an image

covers abbreviations and general meanings not only images
to signify
vsto stand for
82 3.7

To be a sign of something, often by a word, action or symbol

includes explicit short forms or abbreviations
to correspond
vsto stand for
68 3.8

Be similar to something in meaning, amount or place

focuses on expressing meaning or being an abbreviation rather than matching
to denote
vsto stand for
27 4.4

To be a sign or symbol of something

covers being an abbreviation or short form as well

Surface Forms

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

Morphology

stand + for

The meaning 'to be a candidate' is not directly derivable from 'stand' (hold or defend a position) + 'for' (in support of); a learner who knows the parts would more likely infer 'support' or 'represent' rather than 'run as a candidate.' There is a partial conceptual link (standing implies taking a position or office) and it is a conventional British political usage, so the connection is suggestive but not fully predictable without exposure.

Etymology

Stand for comes from the image of something that stands as a sign, like a flag planted and pointing to a country. So, it means 'to represent' or 'to mean'.