resist
/rɪˈzɪst
/verb [with object]
1Withstand the action or effect of: antibodies help us to resist infection...
- Gyroscopes create their own force through spinning, thereby resisting the effects of gravity.
- It strengthens the lungs to resist the effects of sudden changes in the air, and it healthfully braces and invigorates the chest.
- Some have acquired an armoury of genes which help them attach to cells, invade and damage tissue, colonise hosts, evade the immune system, and resist the effects of antibiotics.
Synonyms
withstand, be proof against, hold out against, combat, counter;
weather, endure, outlast;
repel, be resistant to, be impervious to, be impermeable to, keep out
1.1Try to prevent by action or argument: we will resist changes to the treaty...
- In fact, if that's the motive of the government, them I think we've just identified the best argument for resisting the abolition of jury trials for fraud.
- Posters carrying the message ‘Prevent torture, resist torture and help victims of torture’ will be circulated.
- Such an argument resists many of the typical counter-arguments directed at potentiality as an ethical consideration in the abortion debate.
Synonyms
oppose, fight against, refuse to accept, be hostile to, object to, be anti, take a stand against, defy, go against, set one's face against, kick against, baulk at;
obstruct, impede, hinder, block, thwart, frustrate, inhibit, restrain;
stop, halt, prevent, check, stem, curb;
dig in one's heels
archaic reluct
1.2Refrain from doing (something tempting or unwise): I couldn’t resist buying the blouse...
- There aren't many who could resist the tempting creations and I thought it was only correct to sample the goodies.
- Those who are growing old may be unwise to try to resist these pressures.
- The girl gritted her teeth distastefully and resisted the tempting urge to spit at the man.
Synonyms
refrain from, abstain from, keep from, forbear from, desist from, forgo, avoid;
not give in to, restrain oneself from, prevent oneself from, stop oneself from, check oneself
love, adore, relish, be addicted to, have a weakness for, be very partial to, be very keen on, be very fond of, like;
delight in, enjoy, take great pleasure in
informal have a thing about, be mad about, be hooked on, get a kick out of, get a thrill out of
1.3 [no object] Struggle or fight back when attacked: without giving her time to resist, he dragged her off her feet...
- Incredibly, the woman resisted and there was struggle between the two before the robber kneed the victim hard in the stomach and ripped the bag from her grasp.
- She didn't resist, but a fight ensued as other spectators intervened.
- Living together creates the illusion of having found adequate shelter and a feigned ability to resist in case of attack.
Synonyms
struggle with/against, fight (against), put up a fight against, battle against, stand up to, withstand, stand one's ground against, hold one's ground against, hold off, hold out against, contend with, confront, face up to;
fend off, keep at bay, ward off, keep at arm's length
noun
A resistant substance applied as a coating to protect a surface during a process, for example to prevent dye or glaze adhering: new lithographic techniques require their own special resists [mass noun]: the exposed areas of resist will soften...
- Make sure to clean the surface well and remove all petroleum jelly as this will act as a resist for any glaze, antiquing pigment or varnish you try to apply after using this technique.
- Wax is most commonly used in ceramics to form a resist where one does not want glaze.
- The screen or mesh area is covered with a resist, such as wax, which plugs or blocks all of the screen openings, except in the area of the design image.
Derivatives
resister
- But by April, the resisters also changed tactic.
- As the deadline looms, federal officials insist they'll do all they can to avert a showdown with the resisters, saying no one will be evicted without a court hearing.
- The group has been holding events in the city annually but says that for the 60th anniversary commemoration all next week the emphasis will be on survivors, resisters and rebuilding.
resistibility
- These additives were added either to enhance the hardness of the grout mixture or increase the resistibility to leaching.
- The present invention relates to a method of enhancing resistibility of crop plants against bacterial and/or fungal diseases.
- Designers and test houses are presented with increased resistibility levels and testing complexity from these new equipment recommendations.
resistible
/ adjective ...- The amateurish performances, ham-fisted dramatics and video nasty violence are a completely resistible combination.
- Even projects involving her husband have been resistible.
- In any case, it is impossible to verify empirically whether an impulse is resistible.
Origin
Late Middle English: from Old French resister or Latin resistere, from re- (expressing opposition) + sistere 'stop' (reduplication of stare 'to stand'). The current sense of the noun dates from the mid 19th century.
consist from Late Middle English:
Fron Latin consistere ‘stand firm or still, exist’, sistere ‘set, stand (still), stop’, also the source of assist (Late Middle English) originally ‘take your stand’; desist (Late Middle English) ‘stand down, stop’; exist (early 17th century) ‘come into being’, literally ‘stand out’; insist (late 16th century) ‘stand upon [an argument]’; and resist (Late Middle English) ‘stand back or against’.