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Collins English-Chinese Dictionary
Comprehensive English-Chinese Dictionary
Collins English-English Dictionary
- defy [dɪ'faɪ]
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-
1.
vt.
[tr]
to resist (a powerful person, authority, etc) openly and boldly
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2.
vt.
to elude, esp in a baffling way
- his actions defy explanation
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3.
vt.
[formal]
to challenge or provoke (someone to do something judged to be impossible); dare
- I defy you to climb that cliff
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4.
vt.
[archaic]
to invite to do battle or combat
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5.
vt.
[Etymology]
C14: from Old French desfier, from des-
de- + fier to trust, from Latin fi dere
-
1.
vt.
[tr]
to resist (a powerful person, authority, etc) openly and boldly
Examples
- his actions defy explanation → defy
- I defy you to climb that cliff → defy
- 违抗上级
- defy the higher leading body; defy one's superiors; be insubordinate → 违抗
- 诸如此类的事情，不胜枚举。
- Things like these defy enumeration. → 不胜枚举
- 不畏强梁
- defy brute force → 强梁
- 违拗
- defy (one's superiors or elders); disobey → 拗
- 赴汤蹈火
- go through fire and water; defy all difficulties and dangers → 蹈
- 违抗
- disobey; defy → 抗
- 太岁头上动土
- break ground where Taisui (a god) presides—defy the mighty → 太岁
- 违抗
- defy → 抗
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