withstand, v.
(wɪðˈstænd)
Pa. tense and pple. withstood. (Also 5 pa. tense wiþstonded.)
[OE. wiþstandan, = OFris. withstonda, ON. viðstanda: see with- and stand v. Cf. OS. wiðarstandan (MLG. wedderstân), OHG. widarstân. For the separable form stand with see stand v. 79 a.]
1. trans. To stand or maintain one's or its position against; to offer resistance to, resist, oppose: often with implication that the resistance is successful or effectual.
(a) a person, his will, desire, power, etc.
| c 888 ælfred Boeth. vi. §1 Swa doð nu ða þeostro þinre ᵹedrefednesse wiðstandan minum leohtum larum. 971 Blickl. Hom. 161 Hi cyningum & yfelum ricum ealdormannum wiþstandan mihtan. c 1000 ælfric Hom. II. 434 Nis nan ðing þe his mihte wiðstande. a 1122 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) Introd. 3 Ᵹif hwa eow wiðstent, we eow fultumiað. c 1200 Ormin 16143 & tatt all forr to cwemenn Godd & defell to wiþþstanndenn. a 1225 Ancr. R. 264 Þet we muhten wiðstonden þes deofles ferde, þet is so strong uppon vs. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. Prol. 156 Myȝte we wiþ any witte his wille withstonde. c 1386 Chaucer Monk's Prol. 32, I dar hire [sc. my wife] nat withstonde For she is bigg in Armes. 1434 in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. I. 111 To with⁓stand your enemyes in tyme of nede. c 1450 Brut 432 She withstode the Duke of Burgoyne and alle his malice. 1530 Palsgr. 783/2 All the worlde can nat withstande the wyll of God. 1581 J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 212 Seeing that not their willes, but Gods predestination withstandeth them so, that they cannot be able to come. 1592 Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, iv. v. 4 They haue wonne the Bridge, Killing all those that withstand them. 1642 J. Taylor (Water P.) Mad Fashions 3 Thou Lord of Hosts,..Thy foes (Thine Anti-christian foes) withstand. 1708 Prior Turtle & Sparrow 106 Grim Pluto will not be withstood By Force or Craft. 1857 Buckle Civiliz. I. vi. 296 His might nothing was able to withstand. 1882 M. E. Braddon Mt. Royal v, You have not the will to withstand your aunt. |
(b) a blow, force, attack, impulse; a destructive, oppressive, or hostile agency or influence.
| a 1000 Wanderer 15 Ne mæᵹ weriᵹ mod wyrde wiðstondan. c 1000 Sax. Leechd. II. 236 Þisse adle eac wiþstandeþ tosnidenre hreaþemuse blod. a 1300 Cursor M. 19105 Yur sin witstand, þat yee mai rise Wit þat parti þat es rightwise. 13.. Ibid. 10523 (Gött.) Ioseph..þat styward was,..wele widstode Þe hunger þat egipt ouer-ȝode. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 68 He was noght of such myht The strengthe of love to with⁓stonde. 1430–40 Lydg. Bochas viii. vii. (1558) 4 b, The stroke of fortune withstant no creatures. 1558 T. Phaer æneid. v. N ij b, And sturdy strokes he did withstand. 1593 Shakes. Rich. II, i. i. 173 Rage must be withstood. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. 509 It valiantly withstood the siege. 1667 Milton P.L. vi. 253 Such destruction to withstand He hasted. 1741 Butler Serm. Wks. 1874 II. 264 The love of liberty..carries us to withstand tyranny. 1842 Dickens Amer. Notes viii, Having withstood such strong attacks upon my fortitude. 1852 Malpas Builder's Pocket-bk. 56 The pressure is..withstood by the abutments. 1860 Tyndall Glac. i. xi. 76 Ground to mud by an agency which the hardest rocks cannot withstand. 1912 Sphere 28 Dec. 326/2 Armour to withstand the terrific hitting power of the latest naval gun. |
(c) a material thing.
| a 1400 Octouian 1120 He ne fond neuer boon ne lyre Hys ax withstent. 1581 A. Hall Iliad ii. 22 Yet they our Machins haue withstoode. 1638 Junius Paint. Ancients 209 An oxe doth withstand the yoke, and a horse doth with⁓stand the bridle. 1697 Dryden æneis viii. 396 Nor thy resistless Arm the Bull withstood. 1721 Prior Predestination 332 A Casual Fabric built upon the sand Which can nor winds nor falling rains withstand. 1870 Bryant Iliad I. iv. 130 Their limbs Are not of stone or iron to withstand The trenchant steel ye wield. |
† b. To oppose in statement; to controvert, contradict, deny. Obs.
| 1513 Thomas Ld. Howard in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. iii. I. 160 Trustyng that ye woll..withstonde all ill reports undeserved made of me. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 66 b, To withstande and stoppe the tonges of them that..sclaundreth them. 1581 J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 170 b, This withstandeth our disputation of Necessitie nothyng at all. |
c. To resist the attraction, influence, or cogency of; occas. to abstain from (doing something).
| 1725 De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 292 A curiosity that I could scarce withstand. 1781 Cowper Charity 31 The wretch that slighted or withstood The tender argument of kindred blood. 1798 Ferriar Illustr. Sterne ii. 25 Religious disputes were subjects of ridicule too tempting to be withstood. 1852 Disraeli Ld. G. Bentinck 18 He could scarcely have withstood contemplating what might perhaps have been his own position. 1877 Freeman Norm. Conq. (ed. 3) I. App. 753 It seems impossible to withstand this evidence. |
† 2. a. To refuse to allow (a person) the possession of (something). Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 24772 (Edin.) [William] sloh þe king þat Harald hiht Þat born was of þe danis blod For qui þe land he him wit stod. |
† b. Const. inf. or clause: To prevent. Obs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 6973 Þai fand strang folk..Þat..wit-stode þam þe land to win. c 1400 Rom. Rose 3807 He myght not his tunge withstonde Worse to reporte than he fonde. 1542 Udall Erasm. Apoph. 278 marg., What..Caesar saied vnto Metellus withstandyng that he should not take any money out of the treasourie [Metello obsistenti ne pecunias ab ærario tolleret]. 1581 J. Bell Haddon's Answ. Osor. 177 b, Nothyng withstandeth truely, but that both may bee true. |
† c. To keep off or away, withhold, withdraw.
| 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. v. xxiv. (Bodl. MS.), He haþ bondes and obstacles to withstonde & lette þe poudre. c 1485 Digby Myst. iii. 284 Lord, with-stond þis duresse! 1508 Fisher 7 Penit. Ps. xxxviii. Wks. (1876) 82 He may noo more withdrawe from them the bemes of his grace..than the sonne may withstande his bemes out of wyndowes whan they be open. |
d. To stand in the way of; to oppose or hinder the performance, operation, or progress of. Obs. or merged in 1.
| c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 1183 Dido, Hyre systir Anne as she that coude hire good Seyde as hire thoughte & sumdel it with stod. a 1425 tr. Arderne's Treat. Fistula, etc. 51 When þer growed..any superflue flesch.., I withstode it or mette it with poudre of creoferoboron. a 1548 Hall Chron., Edw. V, 1 b, He spared no mannes deathe, whose life withstode his purpose. 1584 Cogan Haven Health cix. (1636) 110 Raysons..concoct raw humors, and withstand putrifaction. 1621 G. Sandys Ovid's Met. v. (1626) 90 His sword withstood Their re-ascent. c 1680 Roxb. Ball. (1891) VII. 358 Then prethee Love make no delay, let's not our precious time withstand. 1697 Dryden æneis ii. 155 The Wintry Seas, and Southern Winds, Withstood their passage home. 1737 Glover Leonidas i. 228 Leonidas awake! Shall these withstand The public safety? Lo! thy country calls. 1742 Fielding J. Andrews ii. iv, I hope you will not withstand your own preferment. 1814 Scott Ld. of Isles iii. iv, His frantic mood Was scarcely by the news withstood, That Moray shared his sister's flight. 1825 ― Talism. xvii, The entrance of Queen Berengaria..was withstood..by the chamberlains. |
3. intr. To offer resistance or opposition.
| c 950 Lindisf. Gosp. Luke xi. 53 Ongunnun ða ældu..hefiᵹlice wiðstonda. a 1122 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1070 Þa utlaᵹa..woldon into þam mynstre, & þa munecas wið⁓stoden þæt hi na mihton in cumen. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 131 Ne mihte þer [in hell] nan wiðstonden, ne prophete ne patriarche. c 1200 Vices & Virtues 39 Strengþe to wiðstanden aȝeanes dieules fondinges. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 2649 Ðe king wið-stod. 13.. K. Alis. 2062 (Laud MS.), Þise shulden wiþstonde hard And sauen al þe forme ward. 1340 Ayenb. 22 Huanne þe man wyþstant to alle ham þet guod him wolde. 1375 Barbour Bruce i. 456 Quhar God helpys, quhat may withstand? ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 1747 Ȝife we in the stour withstondene the better. 1530 Palsgr. 781/2 Agaynst the wyll of God no man may withstande. 1618 Bolton Florus (1636) 183 The City was encouraged to withstand upon the news of Lucullus his approach. 1667 Milton P.L. ii. 610 They..wish..to reach The..stream,..But fate withstands. 1676 S. Sewall Diary (1876) I. 31 He was here with Mr. Broughton earnestly urging [etc.]... Mr. Broughton with⁓stood. 1874 Green Short Hist. iii. §2. 122 Langton prepared to withstand and rescue his country from the tyranny of John. |
† 4. To come to a stand, halt, stop. Obs.
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 3646 Ðre daȝes and niȝtes faren it gan And wið-stod in ðe deserd pharan. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 12780 Þey come & passed to þe wodes side, & þere wyþstode for to abyde. c 1430 Pistill of Susan 285 (Cott. MS.) Alle were a-stonyed and with-stood. |