take the stand en · VERB
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Meanings
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(idiomatic) To testify as a witness in a trial.
At the conclusion of the case, the defendant not having dared to take the stand, the lawyer arose to address the jury in behalf of what appeared a hopeless cause.
1912, Arthur Cheney Train, “Tricks of the Trade”, in Courts and Criminals:The press speculated about whether he would take the stand and testify in his defense.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| takes the stand | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| took the stand | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| taking the stand | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| taken the stand | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic |