stand
1 of 2verb
ˈstand 
stood ˈstu̇d ; standing
; standing intransitive verb
1
a
: to support oneself on the feet in an erect position
b
: to be a specified height when fully erect
stands six feet two
c
: to rise to an erect position
2
a
: to take up or maintain a specified position or posture
stand aside
can you stand on your head
b
: to maintain one's position
stand firm
3
: to be in a particular state or situation
stands accused
4
: to hold a course at sea
5
obsolete : hesitate
6
a
: to have or maintain a relative position in or as if in a graded scale
stands first in the class
b
: to be in a position to gain or lose because of an action taken or a commitment made
stands to make quite a profit
7
chiefly British : to be a candidate : run
8
a
: to rest or remain upright on a base or lower end
a clock stood on the mantle
b
: to occupy a place or location
the house stands on a knoll
9
a
: to remain stationary or inactive
the car stood in the garage for a week
b
: to gather slowly and remain
tears standing in her eyes
10
: agree, accord —used chiefly in the expression it stands to reason
11
a
: to exist in a definite written or printed form
copy a passage exactly as it stands
b
: to remain valid or efficacious
the order given last week still stands
12
of a male animal : to be available as a sire —used especially of horses
13
: to refuse additional cards (as in blackjack)
transitive verb
1
a
: to endure or undergo successfully
this book will stand the test of time
b
: to tolerate without flinching : bear courageously
stands pain well
c
: to endure the presence or personality of
can't stand the boss
d
: to derive benefit or enjoyment from
you look like you could stand a drink
2
: to remain firm in the face of
stand a siege
3
: to submit to
stand trial
4
a
: to perform the duty of
stand guard
b
: to participate in (a military formation)
5
: to pay the cost of (a treat) : pay for
I'll stand you a dinner
stand drinks
6
: to cause to stand : set upright
7
: to make available for breeding
stand a stallion
stander noun
stand
2 of 2noun
1
a
: a halt for defense or resistance
b
: an often defensive effort of some duration or degree of success
a goal-line stand
c(1)
: a stop made to give a performance
a 6-game stand at home
(2)
: a town where such a stop is made
2
: an act of stopping or staying in one place
3
a
: a place or post where one stands
b
: a strongly or aggressively held position especially on a debatable issue
took a stand against higher taxes
4
a
: the place taken by a witness for testifying in court
b stands plural
(1)
: a section of the tiered seats for spectators of a sport or spectacle
(2)
: the occupants of such seats
c
: a raised platform (as for a speaker or hunter) serving as a point of vantage
5
a
: a small often open-air structure for a small retail business
a vegetable stand
a hot dog stand
b
: a site fit for business opportunity
6
: a place where a passenger vehicle stops or parks
a taxi stand
7
: hive sense 2
8
: a frame on or in which something may be placed for support
9
: a group of plants growing in a continuous area
10
: a standing posture
Synonyms
Verb
- be
- bear
- lie
- sit
Noun
- dais
- platform
- podium
- rostrum
- stage
- tribune
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb She was standing near the window. He was standing next to me. All of the seats on the bus were taken so we had to stand. He can stand using a cane. He was standing in a puddle of water. The deer stood still, listening for danger. We had to stand in line for over an hour. Two bowling pins were left standing. A shovel and rake stood in the corner. She stood the ladder against the house. Noun The team insured their victory with an impressive goal-line stand. The army is preparing to make a stand against the enemy. students making a stand against the war We have display stands in many bookstores. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Jennifer Jett, NBC News, 8 Feb. 2023 After a verdict is reached on those charges, Murdaugh, who is jailed in the state capital on a $7 million bond, must then stand trial on roughly 100 financial and drug-related charges. —Joyce Orlando, USA TODAY, 8 Feb. 2023 The president will stand at the House rostrum at a time when just a quarter of U.S. adults say things in the country are headed in the right direction, according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. —Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al, 7 Feb. 2023 These are great deals on wardrobe essentials that will stand the test of time. —Nicola Fumo, Peoplemag, 5 Feb. 2023 There are ways to install long-lasting features that will stand the test of time. —oregonlive, 3 Feb. 2023 A few days before their Season 10 premiere on truTV Feb. 9, Impractical Jokers creators Q, Murr, and Sal hit Boston with an all-new show of video clips and live stand-up and storytelling. —Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 2 Feb. 2023 The comic posted another video a few hours later showing Brandon performing a stand-up set at the Birmingham comedy club StarDome three years prior. —Nardine Saadstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2023 A few hours later, the comic posted another video showing Brandon performing a stand-up set at the Birmingham comedy club StarDome three years prior. —Dallas News, 30 Jan. 2023 Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 9 Feb. 2023 The brick-and-mortar shop, opened by former law enforcement and military veterans, is only a stone's throw away from the stand on Brown Avenue, and is a worth while stop for those who'd like to grab a scoop of the shop's signature gelato. —Bahar Anooshahr, The Arizona Republic, 9 Feb. 2023 Chicago's The Wiener's Circle is joining locals helping create a community to feed, shelter and aid refugees Shortly after Christmas, Ari Levy and the other co-owners of famed Chicago hotdog stand Wiener's Circle made a pact. —Diane Herbst, Peoplemag, 8 Feb. 2023 The support stand is large and sturdy, keeping it safely in place which the machine chips away. —Kat De Naoum, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Feb. 2023 The neighborhood kids put up a lemonade stand with a sign displaying a parent’s Venmo account, because most passersby probably don’t have $2 cash on hand. —Caitlin Gibson, Washington Post, 6 Feb. 2023 The trophy is a regulation-size silver football mounted in a kicking position on a pyramid-like stand of three concave sides. —Christopher Price, BostonGlobe.com, 6 Feb. 2023 The Niners hung on thanks in part to a key goal-line stand to thwart Cincinnati, which scored three second-half touchdowns after trailing 20-0 at halftime. —Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 5 Feb. 2023 Stevens owns The Farm at Dreamer’s Estates, which sells flowers, baskets and produce at his greenhouse, farm stand and at the Geauga Fresh Farmers Market. —Joan Rusek, cleveland, 5 Feb. 2023 See More
Verb
Policemen stand guard outside the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts ahead of the national security trail for the pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong on Monday. —Jennifer Jett, NBC News, 8 Feb. 2023 After a verdict is reached on those charges, Murdaugh, who is jailed in the state capital on a $7 million bond, must then stand trial on roughly 100 financial and drug-related charges. —Joyce Orlando, USA TODAY, 8 Feb. 2023 The president will stand at the House rostrum at a time when just a quarter of U.S. adults say things in the country are headed in the right direction, according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. —Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al, 7 Feb. 2023 These are great deals on wardrobe essentials that will stand the test of time. —Nicola Fumo, Peoplemag, 5 Feb. 2023 There are ways to install long-lasting features that will stand the test of time. —oregonlive, 3 Feb. 2023 A few days before their Season 10 premiere on truTV Feb. 9, Impractical Jokers creators Q, Murr, and Sal hit Boston with an all-new show of video clips and live stand-up and storytelling. —Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 2 Feb. 2023 The comic posted another video a few hours later showing Brandon performing a stand-up set at the Birmingham comedy club StarDome three years prior. —Nardine Saadstaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2023 A few hours later, the comic posted another video showing Brandon performing a stand-up set at the Birmingham comedy club StarDome three years prior. —Dallas News, 30 Jan. 2023 Noun
Just beyond the table, a wooden credenza with glass doors serves as a perfectly sized TV stand. —Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 9 Feb. 2023 The brick-and-mortar shop, opened by former law enforcement and military veterans, is only a stone's throw away from the stand on Brown Avenue, and is a worth while stop for those who'd like to grab a scoop of the shop's signature gelato. —Bahar Anooshahr, The Arizona Republic, 9 Feb. 2023 Chicago's The Wiener's Circle is joining locals helping create a community to feed, shelter and aid refugees Shortly after Christmas, Ari Levy and the other co-owners of famed Chicago hotdog stand Wiener's Circle made a pact. —Diane Herbst, Peoplemag, 8 Feb. 2023 The support stand is large and sturdy, keeping it safely in place which the machine chips away. —Kat De Naoum, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Feb. 2023 The neighborhood kids put up a lemonade stand with a sign displaying a parent’s Venmo account, because most passersby probably don’t have $2 cash on hand. —Caitlin Gibson, Washington Post, 6 Feb. 2023 The trophy is a regulation-size silver football mounted in a kicking position on a pyramid-like stand of three concave sides. —Christopher Price, BostonGlobe.com, 6 Feb. 2023 The Niners hung on thanks in part to a key goal-line stand to thwart Cincinnati, which scored three second-half touchdowns after trailing 20-0 at halftime. —Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 5 Feb. 2023 Stevens owns The Farm at Dreamer’s Estates, which sells flowers, baskets and produce at his greenhouse, farm stand and at the Geauga Fresh Farmers Market. —Joan Rusek, cleveland, 5 Feb. 2023 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English, from Old English standan; akin to Old High German stantan, stān to stand, Latin stare, Greek histanai to cause to stand, set, histasthai to stand, be standing
First Known Use
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a
Noun
1590, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing stand
Kids Definition
stand
1 of 2 verb ˈstand
stood ˈstu̇d ; standing
; standing 1
a
: to support oneself on the feet in an erect position
b
: to be a specified height when fully erect
stands six feet two
c
: to rise to one's feet
2
: to take up and keep a usually specified position or attitude
stand aside
can you stand on your head
where do we stand on this question
3
: to be in a particular state or situation
stands accused
4
chiefly British : to be a candidate : run
5
a
: to have a relative position in or as if in a scale
stands first in the class
b
: to be in a position to gain or lose
stands to make a profit
6
a
: to rest, remain, or set upright on a base or lower end
a ladder standing against a wall
b
: to occupy a place or location
a house standing on a hill
7
a
: to remain without moving
rainwater standing in stagnant pools
b
: to remain in effect
the order stands
8
: to exist in a certain form
you must take or leave our offer as it stands
9
a
: to put up with or resist successfully : bear
stand pain
the building stood the pressure of the storm
this book will stand the test of time
b
: to derive benefit or enjoyment from
you look like you could stand some sleep
c
: to go through the experience of
stand trial
10
: to perform the duty of
stand guard
11
: to pay for
I'll stand dinner
12
: to cause to stand : set upright
stander noun
stand
2 of 2 noun1
: an act or instance of stopping or staying in one place
2
a
: a halt for defense or resistance
b
: a stop made to give a performance
was booked for a three-night stand
3
a
: a place or post where one stands
b
: a position especially with respect to an issue
took a stand against higher taxes
4
a
: the place occupied by a witness testifying in court
b
: a row of seats for spectators of an outdoor sport or spectacle
c
: a raised platform (as for a speaker)
5
: a small often open-air structure for a small retail business
a hot-dog stand
6
: a support (as a rack or table) on or in which something may be placed
umbrella stands
a bicycle stand
7
: a group of plants growing in a continuous area
a good stand of wheat
Legal Definition
stand
1 of 2 verb stood; standing
intransitive verb
1
: to be in a particular state or situation
stand accused
2
: to remain valid or effective
let the ruling stand
transitive verb
: to submit to
stand trial
stand
2 of 2 noun : the place taken by a witness for testifying in court
take the stand
compare bar, bench, dock, sidebar stand 1 of 2
verb
1
as in to sit
to occupy a place or location the monument stands in the middle of the town plaza Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- sit
- be
- lie
- remain
- wait
- bear
- rest
- reside
- stay
- overlook
- station
- await
- hang around
- dwell
- command
- stick around
- post
- tarry
2
as in to tolerate
to put up with (something painful or difficult) I don't know how you can stand that job Synonyms & Similar Words
- tolerate
- endure
- take
- accept
- handle
- bear
- sustain
- stomach
- abide
- meet
- support
- absorb
- stand for
- go
- swallow
- wear
- bide
- stick out
- sweat out
- countenance
- pocket
- brook
- suffer
- live with
- allow
- tough it out
- hack
- permit
- lump (it)
- respect
- acquiesce
- capitulate
- reconcile (to)
- agree (with or to)
- submit (to)
- consent (to)
- yield (to)
- assent (to)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- refuse
- fight
- reject
- oppose
- resist
- dismiss
- avoid
- repudiate
- decline
- combat
- escape
- contest
- miss
- evade
- spurn
- turn down
- circumvent
- bypass
- refrain (from)
- elude
- dodge
- forbear
- abstain (from)
3
as in to pay
to give what is owed for I'll stand lunch, and you can pay me back later Synonyms & Similar Words
- pay
- meet
- settle
- balance
- foot
- pay up
- pay off
- clear
- liquidate
- pony up
- recompense
- quit
- discharge
- spring (for)
- ante (up)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- repudiate
4
as in to be
to take or have a certain position within a group arranged in vertical classes if the city's baseball team wins today, they will stand first in the league Synonyms & Similar Words
- be
- rank
- place
- rate
- grade
- count
- seed
- sort
- set
- separate
- group
- classify
- class
- install
- codify
- compartmentalize
- categorize
- instate
stand
2 of 2noun
as in podium
a level usually raised surface marchers passed by the reviewing stand Synonyms & Similar Words
- podium
- platform
- stage
- dais
- pulpit
- rostrum
- balcony
- tribune
- altar
- scaffold
- footpace
- riser
- gallery
- bimah
- bima
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of stand are abide, bear, endure, suffer, and tolerate. While all these words mean "to put up with something trying or painful," stand emphasizes even more strongly the ability to bear without discomposure or flinching.
unable to stand teasing
Although the words abide and stand have much in common, abide suggests acceptance without resistance or protest.
cannot abide their rudeness
The synonyms bear and stand are sometimes interchangeable, but bear usually implies the power to sustain without flinching or breaking.
forced to bear a tragic loss
While the synonyms endure and stand are close in meaning, endure implies continuing firm or resolute through trials and difficulties.
endured years of rejection
The meanings of suffer and stand largely overlap; however, suffer often suggests acceptance or passivity rather than courage or patience in bearing.
suffering many insults
In some situations, the words tolerate and stand are roughly equivalent. However, tolerate suggests overcoming or successfully controlling an impulse to resist, avoid, or resent something injurious or distasteful.
refused to tolerate such treatment