stand your ground

American

[stand-yer-ground] / ˈstænd jərˈgraʊnd /

Or stand-your-ground

adjective

Law.

relating to or denoting a legal principle or law that eliminates the duty to retreat by allowing, as a first response, self-defense by deadly force.

We’re proud to represent Florida, the first stand your ground state.

Etymology

Origin of stand your ground

First recorded in 2005

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

stand your ground

Trial attorney Daniel Ross described the stand your ground law as a “formidable defense” that he and many other Kansas City defense attorneys anticipate will be used in Mays’ and Miller’s cases.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 26, 2024

"But if you stand your ground, it stops him moving forward."

From BBC ● Jan. 6, 2024

“You stand your ground, sir. And don’t get bogged down by all the haters out there. Stay strong! Merry Christmas!”

From Slate ● Dec. 5, 2023

“For an author, it’s not the most comfortable of positions to be in, to have to stand your ground in that way,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 6, 2023

“You’re saying you want to be part of some kind of revolution? Fight the racism and stand your ground, is that it?”

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023