to stand up
293
3.2
- phrasal verb
- /stænd ʌp/
:
mantenerse firme
- I mean, a man has to stand up for what he believes in.
- stand up for rights
- stand up to authority
- stand up for justice
So you have got to stand up to that voice.
- So you have got to stand up to that voice.
- Why couldn't he stand up and say, I'm not doing this?
- We were the last people to stand up to Tory corruption.
- God gave me strength to stand up, stand up to him.
- So Walt is standing up to awful behavior.
- Slavery ended when slaves stood up and challenged their slave masters.
- You know, it's their bravery to stand up and say, this is who I am.
- And if those folks start standing up, then this will change.
- No, no, no, he he actually stood up to bullies in these dialogues.
- And you were brave enough, bold enough to stand up and say this is who I am.
- And I'm glad when, you know, people like Miyoko's Kitchen stand up and and fight that.
- It's insane that that people that should know better do not stand up to this man.
Examples
-
As an American Christian, I have the right to stand up for justice!
Academic text (1998) -
Are you gonna stand up for yourself?
-
So you have got to stand up to that voice.
-
God gave me strength to stand up, stand up to him.
-
This is a man that cannot stand up to anyone.
-
When I get out of here, I intend to stand up for what I know is right.
-
And you were brave enough, bold enough to stand up and say this is who I am.
-
And all over Europe, people stood up and said we don't want this.
-
Why is it that more people haven't stood up and said this is lunacy?
-
She had the courage to stand up against the unjust treatment of her colleagues.
Synonyms
188
3.3
Resist an attack or criticism by responding
39
3.9
To say firmly what you need or think when people treat you unfairly
25
5.7
To keep your position when others disagree
23
4.6
Publicly say you strongly agree or disagree with something
22
3.7
Keep your decision or opinion when others try to make you change
22
3.7
To resist a person or rule that treats people unfairly
8
5.4
To refuse to change a decision or rule under pressure
4
6.4
Refuse to change your mind when others disagree
3
4.9
Stand firmly in one place to show you will not change your mind
2
4.4
Keep the same decision even when others disagree
2
7.9
To keep the same opinion or decision and not change it
1
4.4
To state an opinion strongly and refuse to change it when others disagree
1
5.4
Keep doing what you believe is right even when it is hard
Antonyms
How Firm
178
3.7
- Informal
25
5.7
293
3.2
22
3.7
311
2.2
Surface Forms
Morphology
There is a clear link between 'stand' (to endure or resist) and the MWE meaning, while the particle 'up' functions as an intensifier that yields a confrontational sense; however the precise sense 'confront/refuse to back down' is not entirely predictable from the parts for an unexposed B1 learner. This pattern is partially compositional but relies on phrasal-verb semantics that vary cross-linguistically, so prior exposure usually helps.
Etymology
Stand up to someone comes from the clear image of stepping forward to face a person and not moving back — you stay on your stand and stay up. That is why it means 'to refuse to back down or to resist'.