standing

[stan-ding]

noun

1. rank or status, especially with respect to social, economic, or personal position, reputation, etc..

   He had little standing in the community.

2. good position, reputation, or credit.

   He is a merchant of standing in the community.

3. length of existence, continuance, residence, membership, experience, etc..

   a friend of long standing.

4. Sports.,  standings, a list of teams or contestants arranged according to their past records.

   According to the standings, the White Sox are leading the division by three games.

5. the act of a person or thing that stands.

6. a place where a person or thing stands.

7. Law.,  the right to initiate or participate in a legal action.

   having standing as a friend of the court.

adjective

1. having an erect or upright position.

   a standing lamp.

2. performed in or from an erect position.

   a standing jump.

3. still; not flowing or stagnant, as water; stationary.

4. continuing without cessation or change; lasting or permanent.

5. continuing in operation, force, use, etc..

   a standing rule.

6. customary or habitual; generally understood.

   We have a standing bridge game every Friday night.

7. Printing.,  kept for use in subsequent printings.

   standing type.

8. out of use; idle.

   a standing engine.

9. Nautical.,  noting any of various objects or assemblages of objects fixed in place or position, unless moved for adjustment or repairs.

   standing bowsprit.

10. Knots.,  noting the part of a rope that is in use and terminates in a knot or the like.

standing

/ ˈstændɪŋ /

noun

1. social or financial position, status, or reputation

   a man of some standing

2. length of existence, experience, etc

3. (modifier) used to stand in or on

   standing room

adjective

1. athletics

   1. (of the start of a race) begun from a standing position without the use of starting blocks

   2. (of a jump, leap, etc) performed from a stationary position without a run-up

2. (prenominal) permanent, fixed, or lasting

3. (prenominal) still or stagnant

   a standing pond

4. printing (of type) set and stored for future use Compare dead

Other Word Forms

• unstanding adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of standing¹

A Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; stand, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Synonym Study

See credit.

Example Sentences

“If you lack legal standing to contest a will, the judge in the New York probate court will not hear your petition to contest the will.”

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In other words, he could grind through them with minimal risk to his own standing.

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This gives Martin strong standing when he asks artists to try a similar approach.

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They can also try standing in line overnight.

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But standing in their way is 71-year-old Sliwa, a Guardian Angel and subway vigilante who cemented his place in city lore after surviving five gunshot wounds in an alleged mob hit in 1992.

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Related Words

• place 
• prestige 
• reputation 
• stature 
• status