stand your ground

American

[stand-yer-ground] / ˈstænd yərˈgraʊnd /

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.

The advisory to "stand your ground" and "try not to show your fear, keep yourself calm by talking to it" sparked ridicule, with some asking what language people should use to talk to the creatures.

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2024

Thirty-eight states — including all six of Nebraska’s neighboring states — have stand your ground laws.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 8, 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

Without saying another word they executed Maneuver #21: stand your ground.

From "The Last Last-Day-of-Summer" by Lamar Giles

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