DEFY (defied)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected form: defied   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does defy mean? 

• DEFY (verb)
  The verb DEFY has 3 senses:

1. resist or confront with resistance

2. elude, especially in a baffling way

3. challenge

  Familiarity information: DEFY used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DEFY (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they defy    ... he / she / it defies   
Past simple: defied   
Past participle: defied   
-ing form: defying   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Resist or confront with resistance

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

defy; hold; hold up; withstand

Context example:

The bridge held

Hypernyms (to "defy" is one way to...):

hold out; resist; stand firm; withstand (stand up or offer resistance to somebody or something)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "defy"):

brave; brave out; endure; weather (face and withstand with courage)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

defiant (boldly resisting authority or an opposing force)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Elude, especially in a baffling way

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

defy; refuse; resist

Context example:

This behavior defies explanation

Hypernyms (to "defy" is one way to...):

elude; escape (be incomprehensible to; escape understanding by)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "defy"):

beggar (be beyond the resources of)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Antonym:

lend oneself (be applicable to; as to an analysis)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Challenge

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

dare; defy

Context example:

I dare you!

Hypernyms (to "defy" is one way to...):

challenge (issue a challenge to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "defy"):

brazen (face with defiance or impudence)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE

Sentence example:

They defy him to write the letter

Derivation:

defiance (a hostile challenge)

 Context examples 

While I heard and saw the mother as she said these words, I seemed to hear and see the son, defying them.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

She defied all efforts of the master to make her become friends with White Fang.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

She also defied her sire, and he ordered them both to the deepest dungeons of the castle.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

It was stark madness, perhaps, but in the very grip of Death he defied Death and refused to die.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

Defying the odds, an individual at high risk for early-onset Alzheimer’s disease remained dementia-free for many years beyond what was anticipated.

(Unique case of disease resistance reveals possible Alzheimer’s treatment, National Institutes of Health)

I defy Sir Charles Tregellis to say that he ever dreamed that there was any heir except myself.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Once in the fastnesses they promised, and the two men could defy Wolf Larsen.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Its wild water defied the frost, and it was in the eddies only and in the quiet places that the ice held at all.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

You are strong in your numbers, for you can defy that which would break down the human endurance of one who had to guard alone.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Till I can forget his father, I can never defy or expose him.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)