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

Upon his return Tuesday, the host was greeted with a standing ovation by his studio audience.

From Los Angeles Times

Naja Lyberth, who was one of the first of the Inuit Greenlanders to speak out about what happened, received a standing ovation as she addressed Wednesday's event.

From BBC

Grimsby Town, the only League Two side still standing and conquerors of Manchester United, get another home tie against Premier League Brentford.

From BBC

It’s easy to imagine Hollywood one day making an apocalyptic film that features the abandoned landscape with only these museum relics still standing — and “Split-Rocker” erupting in explosive, unkempt flowers.

From Los Angeles Times

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., decided over the weekend that it was time for one of those periodic displays of not standing for it.

From Salon

Related Words

• place 
• prestige 
• reputation 
• stature 
• status