stand up
Verb (intransitive):
- To rise to a standing position from a sitting, kneeling, or lying down position: The primary meaning of "stand up" is to move one's body into an upright, vertical posture supported by one's feet.
- To remain valid, convincing, or durable: Used figuratively to mean that an idea, argument, or object remains effective or withstands testing.
- To fail to appear for a social engagement or appointment: An informal meaning indicating that someone did not arrive for a planned meeting, especially a romantic date.
Verb (transitive):
- To set or place something in an upright position: To cause an object to be vertical.
- To defend or support someone or something: To speak or act in support of a person, cause, or principle, especially against opposition.
Intransitive Verb (Rise): "Please stand up when the judge enters the courtroom.""The entire audience stood up and cheered at the end of the performance."
Intransitive Verb (Remain valid/Withstand): "His alibi does not stand up under close examination.""This cheap furniture won't stand up to daily use by children."
Intransitive Verb (Fail to appear): "She was very upset after he stood her up on their first date.""I waited for an hour, but my client stood me up."
Transitive Verb (Place upright): "Can you help me stand up this bookcase?""He stood the ladder up against the wall."
Transitive Verb (Defend/Support - requires 'for'): "You must learn to stand up for yourself.""It's important to stand up for what you believe in."
"Stand up and be counted": To publicly declare one's support or position, especially on a controversial issue. "It's time for decent people to stand up and be counted against this injustice."
"Stand up to (someone/something)": To confront or resist someone or something powerful in a brave way. "The small nation bravely stood up to the invading army.""This fabric is designed to stand up to harsh weather conditions."
Stand-up (adjective): Referring to something that is upright or involves standing. Most commonly refers to a type of comedy performed by a comedian standing alone on stage addressing the audience directly. "He is a stand-up comedian.""The patient is now able to tolerate stand-up meetings."
Standing (noun/adjective): The act of being in an upright position; status or reputation.
- Upstanding (adjective): Honest and respectable.
- Rise/Get up: To move to a standing position.
- Endure/Withstand: To remain intact or valid under pressure.
- Defend/Champion: To support actively.
- Jilt/Leave in the lurch: To fail to meet someone (informal).
Stand up for: To defend or support. "She always stands up for the underdog."
Stand up to: To resist or confront boldly. "You need to stand up to the bully."
Stand someone up: To fail to meet someone for a date or appointment. "He was embarrassed after standing his friend up."
- "Stand up and be counted": To make one's opinions or support publicly known.
- "Couldn't stand up to a stiff breeze": A humorous way to say something or someone is very weak or fragile.
- "Stand up on one's own two feet": To be independent and self-sufficient. (Note: This idiom uses "stand" and "on one's own two feet" but not the phrasal verb "stand up" as a single unit).
- rise up as in fear
- The dog's fur bristled
- It was a sight to make one's hair uprise!
- resist or withstand wear, criticism, etc.
- Her shoes won't hold up
- This theory won't hold water
- defend against attack or criticism
- He stood up for his friend
- She stuck up for the teacher who was accused of harassing the student
- be standing; be upright
- We had to stand for the entire performance!
- put into an upright position
- Can you stand the bookshelf up?
- refuse to back down; remain solid under criticism or attack
- rise to one's feet
- The audience got up and applauded