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defy

[ dih-fahy, dee- ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb (used with object)

defied, defying.

to challenge the power of; resist boldly or openly:
Love drives the characters to ignore their family feud and defy parental authority.
The artist defies conventional categories by blending very different styles in her work.
Synonyms: , , ,
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.

noun

plural defies.

a challenge; a defiance.

defy

/ ��ɪˈ�ڲ�ɪ /

verb

to resist (a powerful person, authority, etc) openly and boldly
to elude, esp in a baffling way
his actions defy explanation
formal.
to challenge or provoke (someone to do something judged to be impossible); dare
I defy you to climb that cliff
archaic.
to invite to do battle or combat

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Derived Forms

��ˈ�ھ��, noun

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Other Word Forms

��·�ھ�·��·�� adjective
��·�ڲ�·��Բ�·�� adverb
��·��·�ڲ� verb (used with object) predefied predefying
��·��·�ڲ� verb (used with object) redefied redefying
un·��·�ھ�·��·�� adjective
�ܲ�·��·�ھ�·��·�� adverb

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Word History and Origins

Origin of defy¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; from Middle English defien, Old French desfier, from des- dis- ¹ + fier “to trust” (from Vulgar Latin ��ī�� (unrecorded), from Latin ��ī��; fidelity ( def ) )

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Word History and Origins

Origin of defy¹

C14: from Old French desfier, from des- de- + fier to trust, from Latin ��ī��

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Elsewhere, Black Panther star Letitia Wright will appear in The Story, a new play by US writer Tracey Scott Wilson about an ambitious black journalist who defies her editor to pursue an incendiary lead.

From

The prospect of Trump openly defying the courts appears to have sparked concern at the top of the judiciary.

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But could they remain silent when faced with a president defying the law?

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While he describes a polite, gentle and compassionate man, Archbishop Gallagher also said Pope Francis knew his own mind and often defied the advice of those around him.

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If Trump decides to defy the high court and trigger a constitutional crisis he will not have the support of the American people.

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Related Words

defuze deg.

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