stand for
Britishverb
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to represent or mean
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to be or become a candidate for
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to support or recommend
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informal to tolerate or bear
he won't stand for any disobedience
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Represent, symbolize, as in The stars and stripes stands for our country . [Early 1600s]
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Advocate, support, uphold, as in The National Writers Union stands for freedom of the press . [c. 1300] Also see stand up for .
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Put up with, tolerate. This usage is generally in a negative context, as in Mother will not stand for rude behavior . [Late 1800s] Also see hold still for .
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stand for something . Have some value or importance, as in She realized that appearances do stand for something . This usage dates from the mid-1800s but was preceded by stand for nothing , meaning “be worthless,” dating from the late 1300s. Also see stand in for .
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.
But if history is any guide, that sentence won’t stand for long.
From Slate • May 28, 2026
Ubben, whom the company had brought on in 2021 amid the activist campaign, decided not to stand for reelection.
From Barron's • May 27, 2026
“I believe in this deeply. I stand behind it. I stand for it.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2026
Paul doesn't stand for re-election for another two years.
From BBC • May 18, 2026
“What if people think that the three Fs stand for ‘fee-fi-fo’?”
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
