/ dɪˈfaɪ; NAmE / verb ( de·fies , defy·ing , de·fied , de·fied ) [ vn ]
1.
to refuse to obey or show respect for sb in authority, a law, a rule, etc. :
I wouldn't have dared to defy my teachers.
Hundreds of people today defied the ban on political gatherings.
2.
defy belief, explanation, description, etc. to be impossible or almost impossible to believe, explain, describe, etc. :
a political move that defies explanation
The beauty of the scene defies description.
3.
to successfully resist sb/sth to a very unusual degree :
The baby boy defied all the odds and survived (= stayed alive when it seemed certain that he would die) .
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IDIOMS
- I defy you / anyone to do sth
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WORD FAMILY
defy verb
defiance noun
defiant adjective
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English (in the senses renounce an allegiance and challenge to combat ): from Old French desfier , based on Latin dis- (expressing reversal) + fidus faithful.