stand up against (someone or something)

stand up against (someone or something)

1. To lean against something so as to remain in an upright position. You'll find the timber standing up against the back of the shed. I stood up against the railing as I waited for the bus to arrive.

2. To lean or prop someone or something against something so as to keep them or it in an upright position. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "stand" and "up." You can just stand the bedframe up against the wall for now. We'll assemble it later. The detective stood the suspect up against the wall and started threatening him.

3. To actively defy, confront, or oppose someone or something. Political leaders from around the world have vowed to stand up against the dictator's brutal regime. We need to stand up against these big companies that try to run our local businesses out of town.

See also: stand, up

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

stand up against someone or something

to withstand or hold one's own against someone or something. He's good, but he can't stand up against Jill. Can this tent stand up against the wind?

See also: stand, up

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.