withstand

withstand
    v 1: resist or confront with resistance; "The politician defied
         public opinion"; "The new material withstands even the
         greatest wear and tear"; "The bridge held" [syn: {defy},
         {withstand}, {hold}, {hold up}]
    2: stand up or offer resistance to somebody or something [syn:
       {resist}, {hold out}, {withstand}, {stand firm}] [ant: {give
       up}, {surrender}]
    

Withstand \With*stand"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Withstood}; p. pr.
   & vb. n. {Withstanding}.] [AS. wi[eth]standan. See {With},
   prep., and {Stand}.]
   To stand against; to oppose; to resist, either with physical
   or moral force; as, to withstand an attack of troops; to
   withstand eloquence or arguments. --Piers Plowman.
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         I withstood him to the face.             --Gal. ii. 11.
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         Some village Hampden, that, with dauntless breast.
         The little tyrant of his fields withstood. --Gray.
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63 Moby Thesaurus words for "withstand":
      be at cross-purposes, be proof against, bear, bear up,
      bear up against, buck, challenge, combat, complain,
      complain loudly, confront, contend with, contest, counter,
      counteract, countervail, counterwork, cross, defy, dispute,
      dissent, duel, endure, face down, face out, face up to, fight,
      front, go against, hold out, hold up, join the opposition,
      kick against, make a stand, meet head-on, not abide, object,
      offer resistance, oppose, play at cross-purposes, protest, rebuff,
      recalcitrate, reluct, remonstrate, repel, repulse, resist, revolt,
      run against, run counter to, show fight, stand, stand at bay,
      stand up, stand up against, stand up to, strive against, suffer,
      take issue with, tolerate, traverse, vote against