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| Date: | 1300-1400 |
| Language: | Old French |
| Origin: | defier, from Latin fidere 'to trust' |
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de‧fy
past tense and past participle defied, present participle defying, third person singular defies [transitive]
past tense and past participle defied, present participle defying, third person singular defies [transitive]1 to refuse to obey a law or rule, or refuse to do what someone in authority tells you to do [↪ defiance]: people who openly defy the law
people who openly defy the law2 to be almost impossible to describe or understand : The beauty of the scene defies description.
defy description/analysis/belief etc
The beauty of the scene defies description.3 to not happen according to the principles you would expect : a 16-week premature baby who defied the odds and survived
defy logic/the odds etc
a 16-week premature baby who defied the odds and survived4 used when you ask someone to do something that you think is impossible : I defy anyone to prove otherwise.
I defy somebody to do something
spoken formalI defy anyone to prove otherwise.