defy
To challenge or braveTo challenge (someone) or brave (a hazard or opposition).
» I defy you to make it public.
CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FRMeaning
4 senses(transitive)To challenge (someone) or brave (a hazard or opposition).
to defy an enemy; to defy the power of a magistrate; to defy the arguments of an opponent; to defy public opinion
herausfordern, die Stirn bieten, entgegentreten
броса́ть вы́зовbrosátʹ výzov
challenge
(transitive)To refuse to obey.
If you defy your teacher you may end up in detention.
trotzen, widersetzen, querstellen
To not conform to or follow a pattern, set of rules or expectations.
widersetzen
(obsolete, transitive)To renounce or dissolve all bonds of affiance, faith, or obligation with; to reject, refuse, or renounce.
1603-1625, Beaumont and Fletcher For thee I have defied my constant mistress.
lossagen, abschwören
пренебрега́тьprenebregátʹ, попира́тьpopirátʹ
Examples
59 sentencesTranslations
7 languagesBy meaning 2
By meaning 3
Origin
From Old French desfier, from Vulgar Latin *disfidare (“renounce one's faith”), from LatinFrom Old French desfier, from Vulgar Latin *disfidare (“renounce one's faith”), from Latin dis- (“away”) + fidus (“faithful”). Meaning shifted in the 14th century from "be disloyal" to "challenge". Contrast confide, fidelity, faith.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
defies, defying, defied, defiedSynonyms
6 synonymsAntonyms
1 antonymsWord family
8 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle
See also
neighbours in the dictionaryDictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.