use-icon

HOW TO USE THE DICTIONARY

To look up an entry in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, use the search window above. For best results, after typing in the word, click on the “Search” button instead of using the “enter” key.

Some compound words (like bus rapid transit, dog whistle, or identity theft) don’t appear on the drop-down list when you type them in the search bar. For best results with compound words, place a quotation mark before the compound word in the search window.

guide to the dictionary

use-icon

THE USAGE PANEL

The Usage Panel is a group of nearly 200 prominent scholars, creative writers, journalists, diplomats, and others in occupations requiring mastery of language. Annual surveys have gauged the acceptability of particular usages and grammatical constructions.

The Panelists

open-icon

AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY APP

The new American Heritage Dictionary app is now available for iOS and Android.

scroll-icon

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY BLOG

The articles in our blog examine new words, revised definitions, interesting images from the fifth edition, discussions of usage, and more.

100-words-icon

See word lists from the best-selling 100 Words Series!

Find out more!

open-icon

INTERESTED IN DICTIONARIES?

Check out the Dictionary Society of North America at http://www.dictionarysociety.com

stand (stănd)
Share:
v. stood (std), stand·ing, stands
v.intr.
1.
a. To rise to an upright position on the feet.
b. To assume or maintain an upright position as specified: stand straight; stand to one side.
2.
a. To maintain an upright position on the feet.
b. To maintain an upright or vertical position on a base or support: The urn stands on a pedestal.
c. To be placed or situated: The building stands at the corner.
3.
a. To remain stable, upright, or intact: The old school still stands.
b. To remain valid, effective, or unaltered: The agreement stands.
4. To be or show a specified figure or amount: The balance stands at $500.
5. To measure a specified height when in an upright position: stands six feet tall.
6. To take up or maintain a specified position, altitude, or course: He stands on his earlier offer. We will stand firm.
7. To be in a position of possible gain or loss: She stands to make a fortune.
8.
a. To be in a specified state or condition: I stand corrected. We stand in awe of the view.
b. To exist in a particular form: Send the message as it now stands.
9. To be at a specified level on a scale or in an amount: stands third in her class; stands high in reputation.
10.
a. To come to a stop; remain motionless.
b. To remain stationary or inactive: The car stood in the garage all winter.
11. To remain without flowing or being disturbed; be or become stagnant.
12. Nautical To take or hold a particular course or direction: a ship standing to windward.
13. To be available as a sire. Used of horses.
14. Chiefly British To be a candidate for public office.
v.tr.
1. To cause to stand; place upright.
2. To engage in or encounter: stand battle.
3.
a. To resist successfully; withstand: stand the test of time; will not stand close examination.
b. To put up with patiently or resolutely; bear: can't stand the heat. See Synonyms at endure.
4. To submit to or undergo: stand trial.
5. To tolerate and benefit from: I could stand a good night's sleep.
6. To perform the duty of: stand guard.
7. Informal To treat (someone) or pay the cost of (food or drink): She stood him to a drink. We'll stand dinner.
n.
1. The act of standing.
2. A ceasing of work or activity; a standstill or halt.
3. A stop on a performance tour.
4. The place or station where a person stands.
5. A booth, stall, or counter for the display of goods for sale.
6. A parking space reserved for taxis.
7. A desperate or decisive effort at defense or resistance, as in a battle: made their stand at the river.
8. A position or opinion one is prepared to uphold: must take a stand on environmental issues.
9. stands Rows of wooden or metal benches placed one above another for people watching a sports event or a performance.
10. Law A witness stand.
11. A small rack, prop, or table for holding any of various articles: a music stand; a bedside stand.
12. A group or growth of tall plants or trees: a stand of pine.
Phrasal Verbs:
stand by
1. To be ready or available to act.
2. To wait for something, such as a broadcast, to resume.
3. To remain uninvolved; refrain from acting: stood by and let him get away.
4. To remain loyal to; aid or support: stands by her friends.
5. To keep or maintain: stood by her decision.
stand down
1. Law To leave a witness stand.
2. To withdraw, as from a political contest.
3. To end a state of readiness or alert.
4. To go off duty.
stand for
1. To represent; symbolize.
2. To advocate or support: stands for freedom of the press.
3. To put up with; tolerate: We will not stand for impertinent behavior.
stand in
To act as a stand-in.
stand off
1. To stay at a distance; remain apart or aloof.
2. To put off; evade.
3. Nautical To maintain a course away from shore.
stand on
1. To be based on; depend on: The success of the project stands on management's support of it.
2. To insist on observance of: stand on ceremony; stand on one's rights.
stand out
1. To protrude; project.
2. To be conspicuous, distinctive, or prominent.
3. To refuse compliance or maintain opposition; hold out: stand out against a verdict.
4. Nautical To maintain a course away from shore.
stand over
1. To watch or supervise closely.
2. To hold over; postpone.
stand to
To take up positions for action.
stand up
1. To remain valid, sound, or durable: His claim will not stand up in court. Our old car has stood up well over time.
2. Informal To fail to keep a date with.
Idioms:
stand a chance
To have a chance, as of gaining or accomplishing something.
stand (one's) ground
1. To maintain one's position against an attack.
2. To refuse to compromise; be unyielding.
stand on (one's) head
Sports To make numerous sprawling or dramatic saves. Used of a goalie.
stand on (one's) own/two feet
To be independent and responsible for oneself.
stand pat
1. To oppose or resist change.
2. Games To play one's poker hand without drawing more cards.
stand to reason
To be consistent with reason: It stands to reason that if we leave late, we will arrive late.
stand up for
1. To side with; defend.
2. To stand up with.
stand up to
To confront fearlessly; face up to.
stand up with
To act as best man or maid of honor for (the groom or bride) at a wedding.
[Middle English standen, from Old English standan; see stā- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
stander n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

American Heritage Dictionary Products