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In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government ought to be instructed... No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people.
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1828 Noah Webster Dictionary
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1828.mshaffer.com › Word [defy]

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defy

DEFY, v.t.

1. To dare; to provoke to combat or strife, by appealing to the courage of another; to invite one to contest; to challenge; as, Goliath defied the armies of Israel.

2. To dare; to brave; to offer to hazard a conflict by manifesting a contempt of opposition, attack or hostile force; as, to defy the arguments of an opponent; to defy the power of the magistrate.

Were we to abolish the common law, it would rise triumphant above its own ruins, deriding and defying its impotent enemies.

3. To challenge to say or do any thing.

DEFY, n. A challenge.



Evolution (or devolution) of this word [defy]

1828 Webster1844 Webster1913 Webster

DEFY, v.t.

1. To dare; to provoke to combat or strife, by appealing to the courage of another; to invite one to contest; to challenge; as, Goliath defied the armies of Israel.

2. To dare; to brave; to offer to hazard a conflict by manifesting a contempt of opposition, attack or hostile force; as, to defy the arguments of an opponent; to defy the power of the magistrate.

Were we to abolish the common law, it would rise triumphant above its own ruins, deriding and defying its impotent enemies.

3. To challenge to say or do any thing.

DEFY, n. A challenge.


DE-FY', n.

A challenge. [Not used.] – Dryden.


DE-FY', v.t. [Fr. defier; de, des, from, and fier, to trust; It. sfidare; Sp. desafiar; des and fiar; Port. id.; Arm. difyal; Low L. diffidare, and diffiduciare, from fido, to trust. See Faith. The word diffidare seems originally to have signified, to dissolve the bond of allegiance, as between the lord and his vassal; opposed to affidare. Spelman, ad voc. Hence it came to be used for the denunciation of enmity and of war. Hence, to challenge. If we understand defier to signify to distrust, then to defy is to call in question the courage of another, according to the popular phrase, “you dare not fight me.”]

  1. To dare; to provoke to combat or strife, by appealing to the courage of another; to invite one to contest; to challenge; as, Goliath defied the armies of Israel.
  2. To dare; to brave; to offer to hazard a conflict by manifesting a contempt of opposition, attack or hostile force; as, to defy the arguments of an opponent; to defy the power of the magistrate. Were we to abolish the common law, it would rise triumphant above its own ruins, deriding and defying, its impotent enemies. – Duponceau.
  3. To challenge to say or do any thing.

De*fy"
  1. To renounce or dissolve all bonds of affiance, faith, or obligation with; to reject, refuse, or renounce.

    [Obs.]

    I defy the surety and the bond. Chaucer.

    For thee I have defied my constant mistress. Beau. *** Fl.

  2. A challenge.

    [Obs.] Dryden.
  3. To provoke to combat or strife] to call out to combat; to challenge; to dare; to brave; to set at defiance; to treat with contempt; as, to defy an enemy; to defy the power of a magistrate; to defy the arguments of an opponent; to defy public opinion.

    I once again
    Defy thee to the trial of mortal fight.     Milton.

    I defy the enemies of our constitution to show the contrary. Burke.

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Defy

DEFY, verb transitive

1. To dare; to provoke to combat or strife, by appealing to the courage of another; to invite one to contest; to challenge; as, Goliath defied the armies of Israel.

2. To dare; to brave; to offer to hazard a conflict by manifesting a contempt of opposition, attack or hostile force; as, to defy the arguments of an opponent; to defy the power of the magistrate.

Were we to abolish the common law, it would rise triumphant above its own ruins, deriding and defying its impotent enemies.

3. To challenge to say or do any thing.

DEFY, noun A challenge.

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Word of the Day

importance

IMPORT'ANCE, n.

1. Weight; consequence; a bearing on some interest; that quality of any thing by which it may affect a measure, interest or result. The education of youth is of great importance to a free government. A religious education is of infinite importance to every human being.

2. Weight or consequence in the scale of being.

Thy own importance know.

Nor bound thy narrow views to things below.

3. Weight or consequence in self-estimation.

He believes himself a man of importance.

4. Thing implied; matter; subject; importunity. [In these senses, obsolete.]

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