Antonyms for defies
| Grammar : Verb |
| Spell : verb dih-fahy; noun dih-fahy, dee-fahy |
| Phonetic Transcription : verb dɪˈfaɪ; noun dɪˈfaɪ, ˈdi faɪ |
Definition of defies
Origin :- c.1300, "to renounce one's allegiance;" mid-14c., "to challenge, defy," from Old French defier, desfier "to challenge, defy, provoke; renounce (a belief), repudiate (a vow, etc.)," from Vulgar Latin *disfidare "renounce one's faith," from Latin dis- "away" (see dis-) + fidus "faithful" (see faith).
- verb challenge, frustrate
- It is the falsehood of the silliest poetry to say he defies the image of his beloved.
- Extract from : « Weighed and Wanting » by George MacDonald
- I now come to a point in the drama which at once demands and defies explanation.
- Extract from : « The Man Shakespeare » by Frank Harris
- All is soil for the plough, all defies our designs for complete explanation.
- Extract from : « Mountain Meditations » by L. Lind-af-Hageby
- If, however, one of the challenged be a spirited fellow, he defies him.
- Extract from : « A Supplementary Chapter to the Bible in Spain » by George Borrow
- He defies the stick, and he would defy the gallows if it were far enough off.
- Extract from : « The Memoires of Casanova, Complete » by Jacques Casanova de Seingalt
- But it is civilization which defies it and brings down the penalty.
- Extract from : « The True Story of Our National Calamity of Flood, Fire and Tornado » by Logan Marshall
- "He says that he does not believe in spirits, and that he defies them," she answered.
- Extract from : « Benita, An African Romance » by H. Rider Haggard
- "Master Robert defies the majesty of the law," said Winter dryly.
- Extract from : « The Strange Case of Mortimer Fenley » by Louis Tracy
- It is to him that I owe what is my only beauty, and I am assured that it defies detection.
- Extract from : « Marge Askinforit » by Barry Pain
- The scene of the instant after that defies ordinary description.
- Extract from : « Stingaree » by E. W. (Ernest William) Hornung
Synonyms for defies
- baffle
- beard
- brave
- confront
- contemn
- dare
- defeat
- deride
- despise
- disregard
- elude
- face
- flout
- fly in face of
- foil
- front
- gibe
- hang tough
- hurl defiance at
- ignore
- insult
- make my day
- mock
- oppose
- outdare
- provoke
- repel
- repulse
- resist
- ridicule
- scorn
- slight
- spurn
- stick
- stick fast
- take one on
- thwart
- venture
- violate
- withstand
Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019