DEFY


Meaning of DEFY in English

(defies, ~ing, defied)

1.

If you ~ someone or something that is trying to make you behave in a particular way, you refuse to obey them and behave in that way.

This was the first (and last) time that I dared to ~ my mother...

VERB: V n

2.

If you ~ someone to do something, you challenge them to do it when you think that they will be unable to do it or too frightened to do it.

I ~ you to come up with one major accomplishment of the current Prime Minister...

= dare

VERB: V n to-inf

3.

If something defies description or understanding, it is so strange, extreme, or surprising that it is almost impossible to understand or explain.

It’s a devastating and barbaric act that defies all comprehension.

VERB: no passive, no cont, V n

Collins COBUILD.      Толковый словарь английского языка для изучающих язык Коллинз COBUILD (международная база данных языков Бирмингемского университета) .