defiance


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de·fi·ance

 (dĭ-fī′əns)
n.
1. Bold resistance against an opposing force or authority: engaged in acts of defiance against the regime.
2. Contemptuous disrespect for the authority of another: detected a tone of defiance in the letter.
3. Archaic A challenge, as to combat or a duel: "Violent was Mr. Weller's indignation as he was borne along; numerous were the allusions to the personal appearance and demeanour of Mr. Grummer and his companion; and valorous were the defiances to any six of the gentlemen present, in which he vented his dissatisfaction" (Charles Dickens).
Idiom:
in defiance of
In spite of; contrary to: went on strike in defiance of union policy.

[Middle English defiaunce, from Old French desfiance, from desfier, to defy; see defy.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

defiance

(dɪˈfaɪəns)
n
1. open or bold resistance to or disregard for authority, opposition, or power
2. a challenging attitude or behaviour; challenge
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

de•fi•ance

(dɪˈfaɪ əns)

n.
1. a bold resistance to authority or to any opposing force.
2. a challenge, as to meet in combat.
Idioms:
in defiance of, despite; notwithstanding.
[1250–1300; Middle English < Old French, =defi(er) to defy + -ance -ance]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.defiance - intentionally contemptuous behavior or attitude
intractability, intractableness - the trait of being hard to influence or control
insubordination - defiance of authority
obstreperousness - noisy defiance
2.defiance - a hostile challenge
challenge - a call to engage in a contest or fight
3.defiance - a defiant act
resistance - group action in opposition to those in power
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

defiance

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

defiance

noun
1. Behavior or an act that is intentionally provocative:
2. The disposition boldly to defy or resist authority or an opposing force:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
عَدم إكْتِراث، تَحَدِّ
odporvzdor
trods
dacszembeszegülés
andstaîa
maištingaimaištingasnepaklusnumasnesiskaitymas
izaicinājumspar spīti
vzdor
kafa tutmakarşı gelmemeydan okuma

defiance

[dɪˈfaɪəns] N (= attitude) → desafío m; (= resistance) → resistencia f terca
a gesture/an act of defianceun gesto/acto desafiante
in defiance of the lawdesafiando a la ley
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

defiance

[dɪˈfaɪəns] ndéfi m
in defiance of sth [+ rules, sb's orders] → au mépris de qch
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

defiance

nTrotz m(of sb jdm gegenüber); (of order, law, death, danger)Missachtung f (→ of +gen); an act of defianceeine Trotzhandlung; in defiance of somebody/somethingjdm/etw zum Trotz; his defiance of my orders caused an accidentweil er meine Anordnungen missachtete, gab es einen Unfall; that is in defiance of gravity/logicdas widerspricht den Gesetzen der Schwerkraft/Logik
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

defiance

[dɪˈfaɪəns] n(atteggiamento di) sfida
in defiance of → a dispetto di
in defiance of orders/the law → sfidando gli ordini/la legge
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

defiance

(diˈfaiəns) noun
open disobedience; challenging or opposition. He went in defiance of my orders.
deˈfiant adjective
hostile; showing or feeling defiance. a defiant attitude.
deˈfiantly adverb
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
References in classic literature ?
It was of Eastern origin, having been brought from the Holy Land; and the mixture of the cymbals and bells seemed to bid welcome at once, and defiance, to the knights as they advanced.
Antigone, daughter of Oedipus, the late king of Thebes, in defiance of Creon who rules in his stead, resolves to bury her brother Polyneices, slain in his attack on Thebes.
And as upon the invasion of their valleys, the frosty Swiss have retreated to their mountains; so, hunted from the savannas and glades of the middle seas, the whale-bone whales can at last resort to their Polar citadels, and diving under the ultimate glassy barriers and walls there, come up among icy fields and floes; and in a charmed circle of everlasting December, bid defiance to all pursuit from man.
She puts into her pocket more than a third of the profits, in defiance of my most arduous exertions to prevent her.
Indignant as he was at this impertinence, there was something so exquisitely absurd in such a cartel of defiance, that Nicholas was obliged to bite his lip and read the note over two or three times before he could muster sufficient gravity and sternness to address the hostile messenger, who had not taken his eyes from the ceiling, nor altered the expression of his face in the slightest degree.
Of this we have an example in Don Diego Ordonez de Lara, who defied the whole town of Zamora, because he did not know that Vellido Dolfos alone had committed the treachery of slaying his king; and therefore he defied them all, and the vengeance and the reply concerned all; though, to be sure, Senor Don Diego went rather too far, indeed very much beyond the limits of a defiance; for he had no occasion to defy the dead, or the waters, or the fishes, or those yet unborn, and all the rest of it as set forth; but let that pass, for when anger breaks out there's no father, governor, or bridle to check the tongue.
Bingley from your sister, and the other, that I had, in defiance of various claims, in defiance of honour and humanity, ruined the immediate prosperity and blasted the prospects of Mr.
because I have sent my cartel, gauntlet, and defiance to Sir John Chandos and to Sir William Felton."
Brantain slowly arose; so did the girl arise, but quickly, and the newcomer stood between them, a little amusement and some defiance struggling with the confusion in his face.
In the latter case their government is weaker and more insecure, because it rests entirely on the goodwill of those citizens who are raised to the magistracy, and who, especially in troubled times, can destroy the government with great ease, either by intrigue or open defiance; and the prince has not the chance amid tumults to exercise absolute authority, because the citizens and subjects, accustomed to receive orders from magistrates, are not of a mind to obey him amid these confusions, and there will always be in doubtful times a scarcity of men whom he can trust.
It appeared he had "served his time" in the copper-ore trade, the famous copper-ore trade of old days between Swansea and the Chilian coast, coal out and ore in, deep-loaded both ways, as if in wanton defiance of the great Cape Horn seas - a work, this, for staunch ships, and a great school of staunchness for West- Country seamen.
Mrs Smith's enjoyments were not spoiled by this improvement of income, with some improvement of health, and the acquisition of such friends to be often with, for her cheerfulness and mental alacrity did not fail her; and while these prime supplies of good remained, she might have bid defiance even to greater accessions of worldly prosperity.