withstand
/wɪðˈstand
/verb (past and past participle withstood /wɪðˈstʊd/) [with object]
1Remain undamaged or unaffected by; resist: the structure had been designed to withstand winds of more than 100 mph...
- Whether the Blair government's new law withstands judicial scrutiny remains to be seen.
- Not many flowers are designed specifically to withstand cold and frosty weather.
- Their structure is designed to withstand the harshest heat, wind and occasional sea spray.
Synonyms
resist, hold out against, stand firm against, stand/hold one's ground against, bear up against, hold the line against, persevere in the face of, stand up to, fight, combat, grapple with, oppose, face, confront, defy, brave;
weather, survive, live through, ride out, endure, take, cope with, stand, tolerate, bear, put up with
informal go the distance against
1.1Offer strong resistance or opposition to: Constantinople withstood the eastern invaders...
- The shield did not look especially strong, but it withstood pressure that would have crushed the man.
- Straffan withstood a very strong comeback from the home side in the second half that yielded a goal from Toms Fitzgerald from 25 yards, to claim victory.
- Leighlin then withstood some strong pressure from Naomh Eoin, who with Robert Foley prominent, threatened to snatch a winning goal.
Derivatives
withstander
- He is slowly but certainly loosing his courage, contact with his withstanders and his window on the free world.
- Its right to believe that some enemies will be smart enough to ignore the withstander.
- The second tract was even more daring, declaring war on the ‘petty antichrists, proud prelates, intolerable withstanders of reformation, enemies of the gospel and covetous wretched priests’.
Origin
Old English withstandan, from the prefix with- 'against' + the verb stand.