| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. |
| |
| defy |
| |
| SYLLABICATION: | de·fy |
| PRONUNCIATION: |  d -f  |
| TRANSITIVE VERB: | Inflected forms: de·fied, de·fy·ing, de·fies
1a. To oppose or resist with boldness and assurance: defied the blockade by sailing straight through it. b. To refuse to submit to or cooperate with: defied the court order by leaving the country. 2. To be unaffected by; resist or withstand: “So the plague defied all medicines” (Daniel Defoe). 3. To challenge or dare (someone) to do something: She defied her accusers to prove their charges. | | ETYMOLOGY: | Middle English defien, from Old French desfier, from Vulgar Latin *disfd re : Latin dis-, dis- + Latin fdus, faithful; see bheidh- in Appendix I. | | SYNONYMS: | defy, brave, challenge, dare, face These verbs mean to confront boldly and courageously: an innovator defying tradition; braving all criticism; challenged the opposition to produce proof; daring him to deny the statement; faced her accusers.
| | |
| |
| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
|
|
