stand on Idiom, Proverb

hair stand on end

become frightened or afraid of something My hair stood on end when I saw the aftermath of the automobile accident.

leg to stand on

a firm foundation of facts, facts to support one

make your hair stand on end

cause you to be afraid, petrified, scared stiff Strange sounds began coming from the closet. It was enough to make your hair stand on end.

not a leg to stand on

no good proof or excuse, no good evidence or defence to offer someone The company doesn

stand on ceremony

be formal You don

stand on one

be independent He learned to stand on his own two feet when he was very young.

stand on one's own two feet

be independent My sister needs to do something to make her daughter stand on her own two feet.

stand one

maintain and defend one

stand one's ground

maintain and defend one's position Although our opponents during the negotiations were very agressive we stood our ground and bargained very hard.

take a stand on something

declare firmly that one is for or against something The Prime Minister finally took a stand on the tax issue.

stand on one's own feet

depend on oneself独立；不依赖别人
After his father's death，Bob had to stand on his own feet and earn his own living．父亲死后，鲍勃只得自立谋生。
He offered to help me，but I said I would rather stand on my own feet．他提出帮我，但我说我宁愿自己干。

stand on one's rights

stick to one's rights坚持自己的权利
Although the teacher criticized her，she stood on her rights and argued back．尽管老师批评她，但她坚持自己的权利并予以反驳。

not have a leg to stand on

Idiom(s): not have a leg to stand on

Theme: WRONG

[for an argument or a case] to have no support. (Informal.)
• You may think you're in the right, but you don't have a leg to stand on.
• My lawyer said I didn't have a leg to stand on, so I shouldn't sue the company.

make one's hair stand on end

Idiom(s): make one's hair stand on end

Theme: FRIGHT

to cause someone to be very frightened. (Informal.)
• The horrible scream made my hair stand on end.
• The ghost story made our hair stand on end.

stand on your own two feet

be independent: "I don't need your help - I can stand on my own two feet."

hair stand on end|hair|stand

informal The hair of your head rises stiffly upwards as a sign or result of great fright or horror. When he heard the strange cry, his hair stood on end. The sight of the dead man made his hair stand on end.
Compare: BLOOD RUN COLD, HEART IN ONE'S MOUTH, HEART STAND STILL, JUMP OUT OF ONE'S SKIN, SPINE-CHILLING.

leg to stand on|leg|stand|stand on

n. phr. A firm foundation of facts; facts to support your claim.

Usually used in the negative. Jerry's answering speech left his opponent without a leg to stand on. Amos sued for damages, but did not have a leg to stand on.

not a leg to stand on|leg|stand

n. phr., informal No good proof or excuse; no good evidence or defense to offer. The man with a gun and $300 in his pocket was accused of robbing an oil station. He did not have a leg to stand on.

stand on ceremony|ceremony|stand

v. phr. To follow strict rules of politeness; be very formal with other people.

Usually used with a helping verb in the negative. Grandmother does not stand on ceremony when her grandchildren call.

stand on one's own feet|feet|foot|stand|stand on o

v. phr. To depend on yourself; do things yourself; earn your own living; be independent. After his father died, John had to stand on his own feet and earn his own living. You should learn to stand on your own two feet.

stand one in good stead|stand|stead

v. phr. To be helpful or useful to. A boy scout knife will stand you in good stead when you do not have other tools. Julia knew how to typewrite, and that stood her in good stead when she looked for a job.

stand one's ground|ground|hold one's ground|stand

v. phr. 1. To stay and fight instead of running away. The enemy attacked in great numbers but our men stood their ground.
Compare: GAIN GROUND.
Antonym: GIVE GROUND, LOSE GROUND. 2. To defend a belief or statement; refuse to weaken when opposed; insist you are right. John's friends said he was mistaken but he stood his ground.
Compare: STICK TO ONE'S GUNS.

leave without a leg to stand on

leave without a leg to stand on
see without a leg to stand on.

stand on

stand on
1) Be based on, depend on, as in Our success will stand on their support. [c. 1600]
2) Insist on observance of, as in Let's not stand on ceremony. This usage today is nearly always put in a negative context. [Mid-1500s]

without a leg to stand on

without a leg to stand on
With no chance of success, as in He tried to get the town to change the street lights, but because there was no money in the budget he found himself without a leg to stand on. A related idiom is not have a leg to stand on, as in Once the detective exposed his false alibi, he didn't have a leg to stand on. This metaphoric idiom transfers lack of physical support to arguments or theories. [Late 1500s]

stand on

1. To be or abide in an cocked position while on top of addition or something. Please don't angle on that table—you ability breach it! The masseuse absolutely stood on me to assignment out the knots in my aback with the assurance of her feet.2. To abode or position addition or article in an cocked position on top of addition or something. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is be acclimated amid "stand" and "on." You can angle the mirror on that box over there. I stood the adolescent on the date so anybody could apprehend what he had to say.3. To be based on, bent by, abased on something. The success of this activity stands on everyone's alertness to accord it every ounce of accomplishment they have. His acclamation hopes angle on the annoyance amid voters with the accepted president.4. To beam or attach to article actual carefully or insistently. Acclimated abnormally in abrogating constructions of the byword "stand on ceremony." We've all been acquainted already, so there's no charge to angle on commemoration for this interview. Please don't angle on such formalities for my sake.Learn more: on, stand

stand (up)on someone or something

to be on addition or something, standing. (Upon is academic and beneath frequently acclimated than on.) To advice his aback pain, he lay down on his belly and Jill stood aloft him, digging her toes into his back. Please don't angle on the bed.Learn more: on, stand

stand on something

1. to footfall or footstep on something, conceivably by accident. I didn't beggarly to angle on the cat's tail. Please don't angle on the nice carpeting with addled shoes.
2. to drag oneself by continuing on something, such as a armchair or stool. Tony stood on a stool so he could ability the cookie jar. Don't angle on that box. It won't authority you and it's not alpine enough.Learn more: on, stand

stand on

1. Be based on, depend on, as in Our success will angle on their support. [c. 1600]
2. Insist on acknowledgment of, as in Let's not angle on ceremony. This acceptance today is about consistently put in a abrogating context. [Mid-1500s] Learn more: on, stand

stand on

v.
1. To advance an cocked or vertical position on a abject or support: The boutonniere of flowers stands on a pedestal.
2. To be based on something; depend on something: The success of the activity stands on management's abutment of it.
3. To assert on the acknowledgment of something: They angle on ceremony, so be on your best behavior. Learn more: on, stand

stand on (one's)

own/two feet To be absolute and amenable for oneself.Learn more: on, stand

Learn more:

More Idioms/Phrases

within within an ace of within call within reach without without a leg to stand on without a stitch on without doubt witness