From Old French desfier, from Vulgar Latin *disfidare (“renounce one's faith”), from Latin dis- (“away”) + fidus (“faithful”). Meaning shifted in the 14th century from "be disloyal" to "challenge". Contrast confide, fidelity, faith.
Meanings
(obsolete) A challenge.
And, safe intrench'd within, her foes without defies 1687, [John Dryden], “(please specify the page number)”, in The Hind and the Panther. A Poem, in Three Parts, 2nd edition, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC:
From Old French desfier, from Vulgar Latin *disfidare (“renounce one's faith”), from Latin dis- (“away”) + fidus (“faithful”). Meaning shifted in the 14th century from "be disloyal" to "challenge". Contrast confide, fidelity, faith.
Meanings
(transitive) To challenge (someone) or brave (a hazard or opposition).
I once again / Defie thee to the trial of mortal fight. 1671, John Milton, Samson Agonistes:
to defy an enemy; to defy the power of a magistrate; to defy the arguments of an opponent; to defy public opinion
"So you actually think yours is good-looking?" sneered the Baker. "Why, I could make a better-looking one out of a piece of dough."
"I defy you to," the Hansom-driver replied. "A face like mine is not easily copied. Nor am I the only person of that opinion. All the ladies think that I am beautiful. And of course I go by what they think." 1900, Edith King Hall, Adventures in Toyland Chapter 6:
(transitive) To refuse to obey.
Before coalition forces arrived, Iraq was ruled by a dictatorship that murdered its own citizens, threatened its neighbors, and defied the world. 2005, George W. Bush, Presidential Radio Address - 19 March 2005:
If you defy your teacher you may end up in detention.
British journalists shun complete respectability, feeling a duty to be ready to savage the mighty, or rummage through their bins. Elsewhere in Europe, government contracts and subsidies ensure that press barons will only defy the mighty so far. 2013 August 10, Lexington, “Keeping the mighty honest”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848:
To not conform to or follow a pattern, set of rules or expectations.
“To be determined,” Kane said, “is whether Griner and her towering skill and engaging personality will defy the odds and attract corporate sponsors as part of widespread public acceptance four decades after passage of the gender-equity legislation known as Title IX.” 2013, Jeré Longman, “W.N.B.A. Hopes Griner Can Change Perceptions, as Well as Game Itself”, in New York Times:
By tossing this nineteenth electron back and forth between its own orbit and that of its lost companion more than twenty-five thousand times a second, a mutilated stone atom is able partially to defy gravity and thus successfully to ride the emerging streams of light and energy, the sunbeams, to liberty and adventure. 1955, anonymous author, The Urantia Book, Paper 41:
(obsolete, transitive) To renounce or dissolve all bonds of affiance, faith, or obligation with; to reject, refuse, or renounce.
1603-1625, Beaumont and Fletcher
For thee I have defied my constant mistress.
Dear perfum'd jackets, pennyless breeches; / Dutch flapdragons, healths in urine; / Drabs that keep a man too sure in: / I do defy you all. / Lend me each honest hand, for here I rise / A reclaim'd man, loathing the general vice. c. 1604–1606 (date written; published 1608), Thomas Middleton, “A Trick to Catch the Old One”, in A[rthur] H[enry] Bullen, editor, The Works of Thomas Middleton […] (The English Dramatists), volume II, London: John C. Nimmo […], published 1885, →OCLC, Act V, scene ii, page 352:
pt renunciar (to renounce or dissolve all bonds) · ro sfida (to provoke to combat or strife) · fr défier (to provoke to combat or strife) · de lossagen (to renounce or dissolve all bonds) · it sfidare (to provoke to combat or strife) · cs vzepřít se (to refuse to obey) · cs vyzývat (to challenge (someone)) · pt desafiar (to challenge (someone)) · nb utfordre (to not conform to or follow a pattern, set of rules or expectations) · ckb لە قسەدەرچوون (to renounce or dissolve all bonds) · de abschwören (to renounce or dissolve all bonds) · nl uitdagen (to provoke to combat or strife) · mg mandà (to refuse to obey) · ckb بەربەرەکانێ کردن (to provoke to combat or strife) · es desafiar (to renounce or dissolve all bonds) · nl het hoofd bieden (to provoke to combat or strife) · cs zřeknout se (to renounce or dissolve all bonds) · de querstellen (to refuse to obey) · mi whakatumatuma (to provoke to combat or strife) · da trodse (to challenge (someone)) · ru пренебрега́ть (to renounce or dissolve all bonds) · nb utfordre (to provoke to combat or strife) · nb uteske (to challenge (someone)) · da lade hånt om (to renounce or dissolve all bonds) · ru броса́ть вы́зов (to provoke to combat or strife) · de die Stirn bieten (to challenge (someone)) · mi takahi (to refuse to obey) · bg опълча се (to refuse to obey) · bg предизвиквам (to provoke to combat or strife) · de trotzen (to refuse to obey) · bg опълчвам се (to refuse to obey) · cmn 抗拒 (to renounce or dissolve all bonds) · fi haastaa (to provoke to combat or strife) · da trodse (to renounce or dissolve all bonds) · nb trosse (to not conform to or follow a pattern, set of rules or expectations) · th ต่อต้าน (to renounce or dissolve all bonds) · eo defii (to challenge (someone)) · bg предизвиквам (to challenge (someone)) · fa سرپیچی (to renounce or dissolve all bonds) · fa سر باز زدن (to renounce or dissolve all bonds) · bg отричам (to renounce or dissolve all bonds) · pt desafiar (to provoke to combat or strife) · nb avsverge (to renounce or dissolve all bonds) · mi whakatōrea (to challenge (someone)) · ckb عاسی بوون (to renounce or dissolve all bonds) · de widersetzen (to not conform to or follow a pattern, set of rules or expectations) · pt desobedecer (to refuse to obey) · sv trotsa (to refuse to obey) · th ขัดขืน (to refuse to obey) · tr meydan okumak (to challenge (someone)) · nb trosse (to refuse to obey) · it abiurare (to renounce or dissolve all bonds) · fr désobéir à (to refuse to obey) · da trodse (to refuse to obey) · mi wananga (to challenge (someone)) · de herausfordern (to provoke to combat or strife) · es desafiar (to challenge (someone)) · cs vyzvat (to challenge (someone)) · de widersetzen (to refuse to obey) · mg mandrangitra (to provoke to combat or strife) · cs vzdát se (to renounce or dissolve all bonds) · nl afzweren (to renounce or dissolve all bonds) · fa نافرمانی (to renounce or dissolve all bonds) · nb avvise (to renounce or dissolve all bonds) · ckb بەربەکانی کردن (to provoke to combat or strife) · es desafiar (to provoke to combat or strife) · it sfidare (to challenge (someone)) · th ต่อต้าน (to challenge (someone)) · cs vzdorovat (to refuse to obey) · th ขัด (to refuse to obey) · de herausfordern (to challenge (someone)) · fi uhmata (to provoke to combat or strife) · bg игнорирам (to renounce or dissolve all bonds) · bg пренебрегвам (to renounce or dissolve all bonds) · ru попира́ть (to renounce or dissolve all bonds) · nb motsi (to refuse to obey) · bg отрека (to renounce or dissolve all bonds) · th ท้าทาย (to challenge (someone)) · nb utfordre (to challenge (someone)) · de entgegentreten (to challenge (someone)) · ga tabhair dúshlán (to challenge (someone)) · cs vyzvat (to provoke to combat or strife)