defy

UK: dɪˈfaɪ | US: dɪˈfaɪ

Definition

  1. vt. to openly resist or refuse to obey authority

  2. vt. to challenge someone to do something considered impossible

  3. vt. to remain unaffected by (e.g., "defies logic")

Structure
de <away, down>fy <trust>
Etymology

Derived from Old French defier ("to challenge, renounce"), itself from Latin dis- (expressing reversal) + fidere ("to trust"). Originally meant "to renounce trust" (13th c.), evolving to "challenge authority" by the 14th century. The root fy preserves the Latin fid- core seen in "fidelity" and "confide," while de- intensifies opposition.

Examples

  1. The protesters chose to defy the curfew.

  2. She defied her critics by winning the championship.

  3. His success defies all expectations.

  4. The material defies extreme temperatures.

  5. I defy you to solve this puzzle in under a minute.