defy someone to do something

  • 1defy someone to do something — phrase to tell someone to prove that something is possible by doing it I defy you to produce one shred of evidence. Thesaurus: to tell people what to dosynonym Main entry: defy …

    Useful english dictionary

  • 2defy someone to do something — to tell someone to prove that something is possible by doing it I defy you to produce one shred of evidence …

    English dictionary

  • 3defy — [[t]dɪfa͟ɪ[/t]] defies, defying, defied 1) VERB If you defy someone or something that is trying to make you behave in a particular way, you refuse to obey them and behave in that way. [V n] This was the first (and last) time that I dared to defy… …

    English dictionary

  • 4defy — de|fy [ dı faı ] verb transitive * 1. ) to refuse to obey someone or something: DISOBEY: The commander defied a direct order to surrender. 2. ) to happen in a way that is different from what usually happens or what you expect: Buildings leaned… …

    Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • 5defy */ — UK [dɪˈfaɪ] / US verb [transitive] Word forms defy : present tense I/you/we/they defy he/she/it defies present participle defying past tense defied past participle defied 1) to refuse to obey someone or something The commander defied a direct… …

    English dictionary

  • 6defy — de|fy [dıˈfaı] v past tense and past participle defied present participle defying third person singular defies [T] [Date: 1300 1400; : Old French; Origin: defier, from Latin fidere to trust ] 1.) to refuse to obey a law or rule, or refuse to do… …

    Dictionary of contemporary English

  • 7defy — verb defied, defying (T) 1 to refuse to obey a law or rule, or refuse to do what someone in authority tells you to do: He defied his father s wishes and married Agnes. 2 defy description/analysis/imagination etc to be so extreme or unusual that… …

    Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • 8defy — [dē fī′, difī′; ] also, for n. [, dē′fī] vt. defied, defying [ME defien < OFr defier, to distrust, repudiate, defy < LL * disfidare < dis , from + * fidare, to trust < fidus, faithful: see FAITH] 1. to resist or oppose boldly or… …

    English World dictionary

  • 9defy — [dɪˈfaɪ] verb [T] to refuse to obey someone or something Syn: disobey • defy belief/explanation etc to be almost impossible to believe, explain etc[/ex] …

    Dictionary for writing and speaking English

  • 10stand up to someone/something — 1 she stood up to her parents: DEFY, confront, challenge, resist, take on, put up a fight against, argue with, take a stand against. 2 the old house has stood up to the war: WITHSTAND, survive, come through (unsca …

    Useful english dictionary