v. Pa. t. and pa. pple. withstood. (Also 5 pa. t. wiþstonded.) [OE. wiþstandan, = OFris. withstonda, ON. viðstanda: see WITH- and STAND v. Cf. OS. wiðarstandan (MLG. wedderstân), OHG. widarstân. For the separable form stand with see STAND v. 79 a.]
1. trans. To stand or maintain one’s or its position against; to offer resistance to, resist, oppose: often with implication that the resistance is successful or effectual.
(a) a person, his will, desire, power, etc.
c. 888. Ælfred, Boeth., vi. § 1. Swa doð nu ða þeostro þinre ʓedrefednesse wiðstandan minum leohtum larum.
971. Blickl. Hom., 161. Hi cyningum & yfelum ricum ealdormannum wiþstandan mihtan.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Hom., II. 434. Nis nan ðing þe his mihte wiðstande.
a. 1122. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), Introd. 3. Ʒif hwa eow wiðstent, we eow fultumiað.
c. 1200. Ormin, 16143. & tatt all forr to cwemenn Godd & defell to wiþþstanndenn.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 264. Þet we muhten wiðstonden þes deofles ferde, þet is so strong uppon vs.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. Prol. 156. Myȝte we wiþ any witte his wille withstonde.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Monk’s Prol., 32. I dar hire [sc. my wife] nat withstonde For she is bigg in Armes.
1434. in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. II. I. 111. To withstand your enemyes in tyme of nede.
c. 1450. Brut, 432. She withstode the Duke of Burgoyne and alle his malice.
1530. Palsgr., 783/2. All the worlde can nat withstande the wyll of God.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 212. Seeing that not their willes, but Gods predestination withstandeth them so, that they cannot be able to come.
1592. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., IV. v. 4. They haue wonne the Bridge, Killing all those that withstand them.
1642. J. Taylor (Water P.), Mad Fashions, 3. Thou Lord of Hosts,… Thy foes (Thine Anti-christian foes) withstand.
1708. Prior, Turtle & Sparrow, 106. Grim Pluto will not be withstood By Force or Craft.
1857. Buckle, Civiliz., I. vi. 296. His might nothing was able to withstand.
1882. Miss Braddon, Mt. Royal, v. You have not the will to withstand your aunt.
(b) a blow, force, attack, impulse; a destructive, oppressive, or hostile agency or influence.
a. 1000. Wanderer, 15. Ne mæʓ weriʓ mod wyrde wiðstondan.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., II. 236. Þisse adle eac wiþstandeþ tosnidenre hreaþemuse blod.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 19105. Yur sin witstand, þat yee mai rise Wit þat parti þat es rightwise. Ibid. (13[?]), 10523 (Gött.). Ioseph … þat styward was,… wele widstode Þe hunger þat egipt ouer-ȝode.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 68. He was noght of such myht The strengthe of love to withstonde.
1430–40. Lydg., Bochas, VIII. vii. (1558), 4 b. The stroke of fortune withstant no creatures.
1558. Phaër, Æneid, V. N ij b. And sturdy strokes he did withstand.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., I. i. 173. Rage must be withstood.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit., 509. It valiantly withstood the siege.
1667. Milton, P. L., VI. 253. Such destruction to withstand He hasted.
1741. Butler, Serm., Wks. 1874, II. 264. The love of liberty … carries us to withstand tyranny.
1842. Dickens, Amer. Notes, viii. Having withstood such strong attacks upon my fortitude.
1852. Malpas, Builder’s Pocket-bk., 56. The pressure is … withstood by the abutments.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. xi. 76. Ground to mud by an agency which the hardest rocks cannot withstand.
1912. Sphere, 23 Dec., 326/2. Armour to withstand the terrific hitting power of the latest naval gun.
(c) a material thing.
a. 1400. Octouian, 1120. He ne fond neuer boon ne lyre Hys ax withstent.
1581. A. Hall, Iliad, II. 22. Yet they our Machins haue withstoode.
1638. Junius, Paint. Ancients, 209. An oxe doth withstand the yoke, and a horse doth withstand the bridle.
1697. Dryden, Æneis, VIII. 396. Nor thy resistless Arm the Bull withstood.
1721. Prior, Predestination, 332. A Casual Fabric built upon the sand Which can nor winds nor falling rains withstand.
1870. Bryant, Iliad, I. IV. 130. Their limbs Are not of stone or iron to withstand The trenchant steel ye wield.
† b. To oppose in statement; to controvert, contradict, deny. Obs.
1513. Thomas Ld. Howard, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. III. I. 160. Trustyng that ye woll … withstonde all ill reports undeserved made of me.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 66 b. To withstande and stoppe the tonges of them that … sclaundreth them.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 170 b. This withstandeth our disputation of Necessitie nothyng at all.
c. To resist the attraction, influence, or cogency of; occas. to abstain from (doing something).
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 292. A curiosity that I could scarce withstand.
1781. Cowper, Charity, 31. The wretch that slighted or withstood The tender argument of kindred blood.
1798. Ferriar, Illustr. Sterne, ii. 25. Religious disputes were subjects of ridicule too tempting to be withstood.
1852. Disraeli, Ld. G. Bentinck, 17–8. He could scarcely have withstood contemplating what might perhaps have been his own position.
1877. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (ed. 3), I. App. 753. It seems impossible to withstand this evidence.
† 2. a. To refuse to allow (a person) the possession of (something). Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 24772 (Edin.). [William] sloh þe king þat Harald hiht Þat born was of þe danis blod For qui þe land he him wit stod.
† b. Const. inf. or clause: To prevent. Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 6973. Þai fand strang folk … Þat … wit-stode þam þe land to win.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 3807. He myght not his tunge withstonde Worse to reporte than he fonde.
1542. Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 278, marg. What … Caesar saied vnto Metellus withstandyng that he should not take any money out of the treasourie [Metello obsistenti ne pecunias ab ærario tolleret].
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 177 b. Nothyng withstandeth truely, but that both may bee true.
† c. To keep off or away, withhold, withdraw.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., V. xxiv. (Bodl. MS.). He haþ bondes and obstacles to withstonde & lette þe poudre.
c. 1485. Digby Myst., III. 284. Lord, with-stond þis duresse!
1508. Fisher, 7 Penit. Ps. xxxviii. Wks. (1876), 82. He may noo more withdrawe from them the bemes of his grace … than the sonne may withstande his bemes out of wyndowes whan they be open.
d. To stand in the way of; to oppose or hinder the performance, operation, or progress of. Obs. or merged in 1.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 1183, Dido. Hyre systir Anne as she that coude hire good Seyde as hire thoughte & sumdel it with stod.
a. 1425. trans. Arderne’s Treat. Fistula, etc., 51. When þer growed … any superflue flesch…, I withstode it or mette it with poudre of creoferoboron.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Edw. V., 1 b. He spared no mannes deathe, whose life withstode his purpose.
1584. Cogan, Haven Health, cix. (1636), 110. Raysons … concoct raw humors, and withstand putrifaction.
1621. G. Sandys, Ovid’s Met., V. (1626), 90. His sword withstood Their re-ascent.
c. 1680. Roxb. Ball. (1891), VII. 358. Then prethee Love make no delay, let’s not our precious time withstand.
1697. Dryden, Æneis, II. 155. The Wintry Seas, and Southern Winds, Withstood their passage home.
1737. Glover, Leonidas, I. 228. Leonidas awake! Shall these withstand The public safety? Lo! thy country calls.
1742. Fielding, J. Andrews, II. iv. I hope you will not withstand your own preferment.
1814. Scott, Ld. of Isles, III. iv. His frantic mood Was scarcely by the news withstood, That Moray shared his sister’s flight. Ibid. (1825), Talism., xvii. The entrance of Queen Berengaria … was withstood … by the chamberlains.
3. intr. To offer resistance or opposition.
c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., Luke xi. 53. Ongunnun ða ældu … hefiʓlice wiðstonda.
a. 1122. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1070. Þa utlaʓa … woldon into þam mynstre, & þa munecas wiðstoden þæt hi na mihton in cumen.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 131. Ne mihte þer [in hell] nan wiðstonden, ne prophete ne patriarche.
c. 1200. Vices & Virtues, 39. Strengþe to wiðstanden aȝeanes dieules fondinges.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 2649. Ðe king wið-stod.
13[?]. K. Alis., 2062 (Laud MS.). Þise shulden wiþstonde hard And sauen al þe forme ward.
1340. Ayenb., 22. Huanne þe man wyþstant to alle ham þet guod him wolde.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, I. 456. Quhar God helpys, quhat may withstand?
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 1747. Ȝife we in the stour withstondene the better.
1530. Palsgr., 781/2. Agaynst the wyll of God no man may withstande.
1618. Bolton, Florus (1636), 183. The City was encouraged to withstand upon the news of Lucullus his approach.
1667. Milton, P. L., II. 610. They … wish … to reach The … stream,… But fate withstands.
1676. S. Sewall, Diary (1876), I. 31. He was here with Mr. Broughton earnestly urging [etc.]…. Mr. Broughton withstood.
1874. Green, Short Hist., iii. § 2. 122. Langton prepared to withstand and rescue his country from the tyranny of John.
† 4. To come to a stand, halt, stop. Obs.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 3646. Ðre daȝes and niztes faren it gan And wið-stod in ðe deserd pharan.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 12780. Þey come & passed to þe wodes side, & þere wyþstode for to abyde.
c. 1430. Pistill of Susan, 285 (Cott. MS.). Alle were a-stonyed and with-stood.
