Dictionary

defiance en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /dɪˈfaɪ(j)əns/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English defiaunce, from Old French desfiance, from desfier. By surface analysis, defy + -ance.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) The feeling, or spirit of being defiant.
   • But Sophia's mother was not the woman to brook defiance. After a few moments' vain remonstrance her husband complied. His manner and appearance were suggestive of a satiated sea-lion. 1921, Ben Travers, chapter 6, in A Cuckoo in the Nest, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1925, →OCLC:
2. (countable, uncountable) Open or bold resistance to or disregard for authority, opposition, or power; refusing to give up.
   • Ainsley: Amid the death and all the destruction: a story of heroism. Steve: Thirteen Ukrainian border guards defending a small island in the Black Sea defy an invading Russian warship. Will: Todd Piro is here now with the details on the defiance that cost them, ultimately, their lives- Todd. Todd: That's right Steve, Ainsley and Will- the ultimate act of defiance- the ultimate price paid. Ukrainian border guards defending a Black Sea island defiantly telling an invading Russian warship to 'go F yourself' when asked to surrender, and then killed when that warship opened fire. 2022 February 25, Todd Piro, 0:03 from the start, in Ukrainian guards tell Russian troops to 'go F yourself' in viral audio, Fox News:
   • Ambassador Udina: The other species are scared. They've never faced anything like this before and they don't know what to do. They want us to step forward. They believe in humanity because of you. Ambassador Udina: Your ruthless pursuit of Saren and the geth, your defiance of the Council -- that's what humans are capable of! That's how we can defeat the Reapers! 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Citadel:
3. (countable, uncountable) A challenging attitude or behaviour; challenge.

Forms

Deriveds

set at defiance · Fort Defiance · nondefiance · bid defiance to

Translations (47)

ru пренебреже́ние (the feeling of being defiant) · la contumācia (the feeling of being defiant) · no tross (the feeling of being defiant) · ca desafiament (the feeling of being defiant) · ckb بەربەرەکانی (the feeling of being defiant) · fi uhmakkuus (the feeling of being defiant) · sv trots (the feeling of being defiant) · bg непокорство (the feeling of being defiant) · ru неповинове́ние (the feeling of being defiant) · de problematische Haltung (challenging attitude or behaviour; challenge) · es desafío (the feeling of being defiant) · ru непоко́рство (the feeling of being defiant) · ota نسبت (the feeling of being defiant) · ja 反抗 (the feeling of being defiant) · de Auflehnung (the feeling of being defiant) · cmn 蔑視 /蔑视 (the feeling of being defiant) · ja 無視 (the feeling of being defiant) · no motstand motvilje trass (the feeling of being defiant) · pl opór (the feeling of being defiant) · nl opstandigheid (the feeling of being defiant) · ga dúshlán (challenging attitude or behaviour; challenge) · nl koppigheid (the feeling of being defiant) · fi uhmaaminen (challenging attitude or behaviour; challenge) · mi whakatōreatanga (the feeling of being defiant) · mk пркос (the feeling of being defiant) · de anstrengendes Verhalten (challenging attitude or behaviour; challenge) · de Widerstand (the feeling of being defiant) · tr meydan okuma (the feeling of being defiant) · mi whakatumatuma (the feeling of being defiant) · bg предизвикателство (challenging attitude or behaviour; challenge) · de Trotz (the feeling of being defiant) · es desafiamiento (open resistance to authority, opposition, or power) · pt desafio (the feeling of being defiant) · da trods (the feeling of being defiant) · cs vzdor (the feeling of being defiant) · cmn 反抗 (the feeling of being defiant) · de Herausforderung (challenging attitude or behaviour; challenge) · uk спро́тив (open resistance to authority, opposition, or power) · fr défi (the feeling of being defiant) · es desafiamiento (the feeling of being defiant) · fi uhmaaminen (open resistance to authority, opposition, or power) · ia defiantia (the feeling of being defiant) · fi uhma (the feeling of being defiant) · es desafío (open resistance to authority, opposition, or power) · it sfida (the feeling of being defiant) · de offener Ungehorsam (open resistance to authority, opposition, or power) · de Widersetzung (open resistance to authority, opposition, or power)