1. openly resist or refuse to obey: "a woman who defies convention"Similarresistwithstandtake a stand againsthold out againststand up toconfrontfacemeet head-ontake onsquare up tobeardbraveoutfaceOppositesurrender
▪ appear to be challenging (someone) to do or prove something: "he glowered at her, defying her to mock him"Similarchallengedarethrow down the gauntlet
▪ challenge to combat:"go now, defy him to the combat"
Word OriginMiddle English (in the senses ‘renounce an allegiance’ and ‘challenge to combat’): from Old French desfier, based on Latin dis- (expressing reversal) + fidus ‘faithful’.
