stand on
Britishverb
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(adverb) to continue to navigate a vessel on the same heading
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(preposition) to insist on
to stand on ceremony
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informal to be independent or self-reliant
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Be based on, depend on, as in Our success will stand on their support . [c. 1600]
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Insist on observance of, as in Let's not stand on ceremony . This usage today is nearly always put in a negative context. [Mid-1500s]
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.
Surrounding the Octagon are black padded seats for 4,500 guests, each with a sign on the back saying "Warning: Please do not stand on chair," in case spectators get overexcited.
From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026
Later, he would stand on stage in Nyon, delighting in the matchups for the Champions League knockout rounds, and then return to his quiet job as UEFA’s general secretary.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026
Samuelson urged her colleagues to stand strong: “There are times when you need courage; stand on principle even if you stand alone.”
From Salon • Jun. 6, 2026
At Besiktas Park on Wednesday, Emery will stand on the touchline for his sixth Europa League final in 12 years.
From BBC • May 20, 2026
She tries to stand on the wooden saddle of her quiet horse.
From "Willodeen" by Katherine Applegate
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.
