Phrase guide

stand up

verb · 17 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To rise from a lying or sitting position.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • Stand up, then sit down again.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To bring something up and set it into a standing position; to set something up.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • Laura stood the sofa up on end.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

(stand someone up) To avoid a prearranged meeting, especially a date, with (a person) without prior notification; to jilt or shirk.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, transitive

Examples

  • John stood Laura up at the movie theater.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To last or endure over a period of time.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To continue to be believable, consistent, or plausible.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To stand immediately behind the wicket so as to catch balls from a slow or spin bowler, and to attempt to stump the batsman.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Topics: ball-games, cricket, games, hobbies, lifestyle, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To launch, propel upwards

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To formally activate and commission (a unit, formation, etc.).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, transitive

Topics: government, military, politics, war

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To make one's voice heard, to speak up.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

To serve in a role during a wedding ceremony.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: formal, intransitive

Examples

  • Will you stand up for me (as my best man) at the wedding?
  • The bridesmaids will stand up over there during the ceremony.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

verb

Meaning 11

defend against attack or criticism

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He stood up for his friend
  • She stuck up for the teacher who was accused of harassing the student

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: stick up

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: defend, support, fend for

12

verb

Meaning 12

refuse to back down; remain solid under criticism or attack

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: resist, hold out, withstand, stand firm

13

verb

Meaning 13

be standing; be upright

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • We had to stand for the entire performance!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: stand

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: rest

Narrower terms: ramp, stand back, line up, queue up, queue

14

verb

Meaning 14

put into an upright position

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Can you stand the bookshelf up?

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: stand, place upright

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: put, set, place, pose, position, lay

15

verb

Meaning 15

rise to one's feet

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The audience got up and applauded

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: arise, rise, uprise, get up

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change posture

Narrower terms: take the floor

16

verb

Meaning 16

rise up as in fear

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The dog's fur bristled
  • It was a sight to make one's hair uprise!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bristle, uprise

Antonyms: none provided

17

verb

Meaning 17

resist or withstand wear, criticism, etc.

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Her shoes won't hold up
  • This theory won't hold water

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: hold up, hold water

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: survive, last, live, live on, go, endure, hold up, hold out

History

Etymology

From Middle English standen up, from Old English standan up; equivalent to stand + up. Compare Old Norse standa upp.

Across languages

Translations

168 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: staan op — rise from a sitting position
  • Ainu: アㇱ (as) — rise from a sitting position
  • Akkadian: izuzzum — rise from a sitting position
  • Albanian: ngrihem — rise from a sitting position
  • Albanian: çohem — rise from a sitting position
  • Arabic: قَامَ (qāma) — rise from a sitting position
  • Arabic: قام (ʔām) — rise from a sitting position
  • Arabic: قام (qām) — rise from a sitting position
  • Arabic: ناض (nāḍ) — rise from a sitting position
  • Arabic: وقف (wqaf) — rise from a sitting position
  • Armenian: կանգնել (kangnel) — rise from a sitting position
  • Armenian: վեր կենալ (ver kenal) — rise from a sitting position
  • Armenian: ելնել (elnel) — rise from a sitting position
  • Belarusian: устава́ць (ustavácʹ) — rise from a sitting position
  • Belarusian: ўстава́ць (wstavácʹ) — rise from a sitting position
  • Belarusian: уста́ць pf ўстаць (ustácʹ) — rise from a sitting position
  • Bengali: দাঁড়ানো (dãṛanō) — rise from a sitting position
  • Central Bikol: tindog — rise from a sitting position
  • Bulgarian: става́м (stavám) — rise from a sitting position
  • Bulgarian: ста́на (stána) — rise from a sitting position
  • Catalan: posar-se dret — rise from a sitting position
  • Cherokee: ᎠᏗᏗᎠ (adidia) — rise from a sitting position
  • Chinese Cantonese: 起身 (hei2 san1) — rise from a sitting position
  • Chinese Mandarin: 站起來 /站起来 (zhànqǐlai) — rise from a sitting position
  • Chinese Mandarin: 起來 /起来 (qǐlai) — rise from a sitting position
  • Chinese Mandarin: 起身 (qǐshēn) — rise from a sitting position
  • Choctaw: wakaya — rise from a sitting position
  • Choctaw: tani — rise from a sitting position
  • Maore Comorian: uhima — rise from a sitting position
  • Czech: vstávat — rise from a sitting position
  • Czech: vstát — rise from a sitting position
  • Danish: rejse sig — rise from a sitting position
  • Dutch: opstaan — rise from a sitting position
  • Egyptian: aHa-a:D54 (ꜥḥꜥ) — rise from a sitting position
  • Esperanto: stariĝi — rise from a sitting position
  • Esperanto: ekstari — rise from a sitting position
  • Finnish: nousta (ylös) — rise from a sitting position
  • French: se lever — rise from a sitting position
  • French: se mettre debout — rise from a sitting position
  • Galician: pórse de pé — rise from a sitting position
  • Galician: poñerse de pé — rise from a sitting position
  • Galician: erguer — rise from a sitting position
  • Georgian: ადგომა (adgoma) — rise from a sitting position
  • German: aufstehen — rise from a sitting position
  • Gothic: 𐌿𐍂𐍂𐌴𐌹𐍃𐌰𐌽 (urreisan) — rise from a sitting position
  • Gothic: 𐌿𐍃𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌰𐌽 (usstandan) — rise from a sitting position
  • Greek: σηκώνομαι (sikónomai) — rise from a sitting position
  • Hebrew: קָם (qam) — rise from a sitting position
  • Hindi: उठना (uṭhnā) — rise from a sitting position
  • Hungarian: feláll — rise from a sitting position
  • Icelandic: standa upp — rise from a sitting position
  • Ido: staceskar — rise from a sitting position
  • Interlingua: leva te — rise from a sitting position
  • Italian: alzarsi in piedi — rise from a sitting position
  • Japanese: 立ち上がる (tachiagaru) — rise from a sitting position
  • Kaitag: гьабирцца́ра (habirccára) — rise from a sitting position
  • Khmer: ក្រោកឈរឡើង (kraok chɔɔ laəŋ) — rise from a sitting position
  • Khmer: ឈរឡើង (chɔɔ laəŋ) — rise from a sitting position
  • Korean: 일어서다 (ireoseoda) — rise from a sitting position
  • Latin: surgō — rise from a sitting position
  • Lingala: tɛ́lɛmɛ — rise from a sitting position
  • Linngithigh: nic — rise from a sitting position
  • Macedonian: ста́нува (stánuva) — rise from a sitting position
  • Macedonian: ста́не (stáne) — rise from a sitting position
  • Mingrelian: ედგინა (edgina) — rise from a sitting position
  • Mongolian: босох (bosox) — rise from a sitting position
  • Navajo: yiizįįh — rise from a sitting position
  • Navajo: woohsįįh — rise from a sitting position
  • Navajo: daoohsįįh — rise from a sitting position
  • Nepali: उठ्नु (uṭhnu) — rise from a sitting position
  • Ossetian: сыстын (systyn) — rise from a sitting position
  • Persian: خاستن (xâstan) — rise from a sitting position
  • Persian: وریسادن — rise from a sitting position
  • Polish: wstawać — rise from a sitting position
  • Polish: wstać — rise from a sitting position
  • Portuguese: levantar — rise from a sitting position
  • Quechua: sayariy — rise from a sitting position
  • Quechua: hatariy — rise from a sitting position
  • Romanian: se ridica — rise from a sitting position
  • Romanian: scula — rise from a sitting position
  • Romansh: star si — rise from a sitting position
  • Russian: встава́ть (vstavátʹ) — rise from a sitting position
  • Russian: встать (vstatʹ) — rise from a sitting position
  • Scottish Gaelic: èirich — rise from a sitting position
  • Serbo-Croatian: устајати — rise from a sitting position
  • Serbo-Croatian: устати — rise from a sitting position
  • Serbo-Croatian: ustajati — rise from a sitting position
  • Serbo-Croatian: ustati — rise from a sitting position
  • Slovak: vstávať — rise from a sitting position
  • Slovak: vstať — rise from a sitting position
  • Slovene: vstajati — rise from a sitting position
  • Slovene: vstati — rise from a sitting position
  • Spanish: levantarse — rise from a sitting position
  • Spanish: ponerse de pie — rise from a sitting position
  • Spanish: pararse — rise from a sitting position
  • Spanish: enhestarse — rise from a sitting position
  • Spanish: arriba — rise from a sitting position
  • Tamil: எழுந்திரு (eḻuntiru) — rise from a sitting position
  • Tashelhit: bdd — rise from a sitting position
  • Tocharian B: tsänk- — rise from a sitting position
  • Tok Pisin: sanap — rise from a sitting position
  • Ottoman Turkish: قالقمق (kalkmak) — rise from a sitting position
  • Ukrainian: встава́ти (vstaváty) — rise from a sitting position
  • Ukrainian: вста́ти (vstáty) — rise from a sitting position
  • Urdu: اٹھنا (uṭhnā) — rise from a sitting position
  • Vietnamese: đứng dậy — rise from a sitting position
  • Walloon: si lever — rise from a sitting position
  • Walloon: si stamper — rise from a sitting position
  • Walloon: s' astamper — rise from a sitting position
  • Bulgarian: изправям (izpravjam) — bring something up and set it into a standing position
  • Danish: rejse — bring something up and set it into a standing position
  • Dutch: rechtzetten — bring something up and set it into a standing position
  • Dutch: zetten — bring something up and set it into a standing position
  • Dutch: rechtstellen — bring something up and set it into a standing position
  • Dutch: stellen — bring something up and set it into a standing position
  • Finnish: nostaa (pystyyn) — bring something up and set it into a standing position
  • French: mettre debout — bring something up and set it into a standing position
  • Galician: erguer — bring something up and set it into a standing position
  • German: aufstellen — bring something up and set it into a standing position
  • Hungarian: felállít — bring something up and set it into a standing position
  • Italian: sollevare — bring something up and set it into a standing position
  • Polish: stawiać — bring something up and set it into a standing position
  • Polish: postawić — bring something up and set it into a standing position
  • Portuguese: levantar — bring something up and set it into a standing position
  • Portuguese: erguer — bring something up and set it into a standing position
  • Quechua: hatarichiy — bring something up and set it into a standing position
  • Spanish: levantar — bring something up and set it into a standing position
  • Spanish: parar — bring something up and set it into a standing position
  • Spanish: enhestar — bring something up and set it into a standing position
  • Spanish: inhestar — bring something up and set it into a standing position
  • Catalan: deixar plantat — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Chinese Cantonese: 放飛機 /放飞机 (fong3 fei1 gei1) — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Chinese Mandarin: 放鴿子 /放鸽子 (fàng gēzǐ) — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Danish: brænde af — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Dutch: de kat sturen — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Dutch: in de kou laten staan — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Finnish: jättää tulematta — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Finnish: tehdä oharit — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Finnish: feidata — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • French: poser un lapin à — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • French: faire faux bond à — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Galician: deixar plantado — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • German: sitzen lassen — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • German: versetzen — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Hungarian: nem megy el a találkozóra — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Hungarian: potyára várakoztat — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Icelandic: svíkja — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Irish: feall ar — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Irish: fág ina staic — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Italian: dare buca — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Italian: tirare un pacco — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Italian: paccare — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Italian: piantare in asso — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Japanese: すっぽかす (suppokasu) — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Persian: پیچاندن (pičândan) — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Persian: کاشتن (kâštan) — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Polish: wystawiać — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Polish: wystawić — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Portuguese: dar um bolo — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Russian: динамить (dinamitʹ) — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Spanish: dejar plantado — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Spanish: plantar — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Spanish: dar plantón — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Spanish: planchar — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Spanish: dar un plantón — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Spanish: dar un plante — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Turkish: satmak — to avoid a prearranged meeting
  • Welsh: rhoi cawell i — to avoid a prearranged meeting