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   De·fy

   /dəˈfī/

   

   verb

   • 1. openly resist or refuse to obey: "a woman who defies convention" Similar resistwithstandtake a stand againsthold out againststand up toconfrontfacemeet head-ontake onsquare up tobeardbraveoutfaceOpposite surrender
   • ▪ (of a thing) make (an action or quality) almost impossible: "his actions defy belief" Similar eludeescapedefeatfoilfrustratethwartbaffle
   • ▪ appear to be challenging (someone) to do or prove something: "he glowered at her, defying her to mock him" Similar challengedarethrow down the gauntlet
   • ▪ challenge to combat: "go now, defy him to the combat"

   Word Origin Middle English (in the senses ‘renounce an allegiance’ and ‘challenge to combat’): from Old French desfier, based on Latin dis- (expressing reversal) + fidus ‘faithful’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. defier noun

   Scrabble Points: 11

   • D

     2

   • E

     1

   • F

     4

   • Y

     4

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2. People also ask

   What does defy mean?

   • Definition of defy verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary defy somebody/something to refuse to obey or show respect for somebody in authority, a law, a rule, etc. I wouldn't have dared to defy my teachers. Hundreds of people today defied the ban on political gatherings.

   defy verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes

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   What does it mean if something defies description?

   • defy belief, explanation, description, etc. to be impossible or almost impossible to believe, explain, describe, etc. The beauty of the scene defies description. His face was so odd that it defies description. defy something to successfully resist something to a very unusual degree

   defy verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes

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   What does defied mean?

   • to offer effective resistance to; make virtually impossible: Their strategic position is helped by having a fort that defies attack. The facts were so complex that they defied simple explanation. to challenge (a person) to do something deemed impossible: They defied him to dive off the bridge. Archaic. to challenge to a combat or contest.

   DEFY Definition & Usage Examples | Dictionary.com

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   Where did the word defy come from?

   • According to Etymonline, the word defy has been used since the Middle English defien in c14. This comes from the 14c Old French desfier, as well as the Vulgar Latin fīdāre, a variant of Latin fīdere and disfidare/disfīdāre formed with the Latin dis prefix and Latin fidus/Latin fīdus. This word is of Indo-European roots.

   What Does Defy Mean? | The Word Counter

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3. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › english › defydefy verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage ...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › english › defy

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   defy belief, explanation, description, etc. to be impossible or almost impossible to believe, explain, describe, etc. a political move that defies explanation The beauty of the scene defies description.

4. www.dictionary.com › browse › defyDEFY Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › defy

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   Defy definition: to challenge the power of; resist boldly or openly. See examples of DEFY used in a sentence.

5. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › defydefy verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage ...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › defy

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   3 defy something to successfully resist something to a very unusual degree The baby boy defied all the odds and survived (= stayed alive when it seemed certain that he would die). defy verb defiance noun defiant adjective defy verb defiance noun defiant adjective Idioms

6. dictionary.cambridge.org › learner-english › defyDEFY | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › learner-english › defy

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   DEFY definition: 1. to refuse to obey someone or something: 2. to be impossible to believe/describe/explain, etc…. Learn more.

7. dictionary.cambridge.org › learner-english › defydefy | definition in the Cambridge Learner’s Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › learner-english › defy

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   defy meaning: 1. to refuse to obey someone or something: 2. to be impossible to believe/describe/explain, etc…. Learn more.

8. en.wiktionary.org › wiki › defydefy - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

   en.wiktionary.org › wiki › defy

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   Apr 23, 2024 · defy (third-person singular simple present defies, present participle defying, simple past and past participle defied) ( 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. ( transitive) To refuse to obey .

9. www.wordreference.com › definition › defydefy - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

   www.wordreference.com › definition › defy

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   defy - WordReference English dictionary, questions, discussion and forums. All Free.