Definitions for defiance
dɪˈfaɪ ənsde·fi·ance

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:3.0 / 2 votes

1. defiance, rebelliousnessnoun

   intentionally contemptuous behavior or attitude

2. defiancenoun

   a hostile challenge

3. defiancenoun

   a defiant act

WiktionaryRate this definition:1.0 / 2 votes

1. defiancenoun

   The feeling, or spirit of being defiant.

2. Etymology: From defiance from défiant (present participle of défier).

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. DEFIANCEnoun

   Etymology: from deffi, French.

   1. A challenge; an invitation to fight.

   The firey Tybalt, with his sword prepar’d,
   Which, as he breath’d defiance to my ears,
   He swung about his head. William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet.

   Nor is it just to bring
   A war, without a just defiance made. John Dryden, Ind. Emp.

   2. A challenge to make any impeachment good.3. Expression of abhorrence or contempt.

   The Novatian heresy was very apt to attract well meaning souls, who, seeing it bad such express defiance to apostacy, could not suspect that it was itself any defection from the faith. Decay of Piety.

   No body will so openly bid defiance to common sense, as to affirm visible and direct contradictions. John Locke.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. Defiancenoun

   the act of defying, putting in opposition, or provoking to combat; a challenge; a provocation; a summons to combat

2. Defiancenoun

   a state of opposition; willingness to flight; disposition to resist; contempt of opposition

3. Defiancenoun

   a casting aside; renunciation; rejection

4. Etymology: [OF. defiance, desfiance, challenge, fr. desfier to challenge, F. dfier. See Defy.]

FreebaseRate this definition:3.5 / 2 votes

1. Defiance

   Defiance is a 2008 World War II era film written, produced and directed by Edward Zwick, set during the occupation of Belarus by Nazi Germany. The film is an account of the Bielski partisans, a group led by three Jewish brothers who saved and recruited Jews in Belarus during the Second World War. The film stars Daniel Craig as Tuvia Bielski, Liev Schreiber as Zus Bielski, Jamie Bell as Asael Bielski and George MacKay as Aron Bielski. The film is an adaptation of Nechama Tec's book Defiance: The Bielski Partisans. Production began in early September 2007 and had a limited release in the United States on December 31, 2008, and went into general release worldwide in January and February 2009.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Defiance

   de-fī′ans, n. the act of defying: a challenge to combat: aggressiveness: contempt of opposition.—adj. Defī′ant, full of defiance, insolently bold.—adv. Defī′antly.—n. Defī′antness.—adj. Defī′atory, bidding defiance.—Bid defiance to, to defy.

Suggested ResourcesRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. defiance

   Song lyrics by defiance -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by defiance on the Lyrics.com website.

Matched Categories

1. • Challenge
   • Intractability
   • Resistance

How to pronounce defiance?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say defiance in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of defiance in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of defiance in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of defiance in a Sentence

1. Adil Najam:

   It has politicized the situation and made it symbolic, if a solution is to be found, it would be found within the Pakistan legal system, not in defiance of it.

2. Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd:

   This does not appear to be an effort to engage in good-faith negotiations or accommodations, instead, it appears to be another example of the administration's blanket defiance of Congress' constitutionally-mandated responsibilities.

3. Joshua Pollack:

   This is a statement, symbolic of defiance, the pursuit of sanctions relief is over. Nothing is made explicit here, but it starts to set new expectations about the coming course of policy for 2020.

4. Elizabeth Prelogar:

   Texas designed S.B. 8 to thwart the supremacy of federal law in open defiance of our constitutional structure, states are free to ask this court to reconsider its constitutional precedents, but they are not free to place themselves above this court, nullify the Court’s decisions in their borders, and block the judicial review necessary to vindicate federal rights.

5. Andy Gunther:

   It's going to boost the electorate to come out stronger, I believe, it's defiance. It's, we're not going to take this stuff sitting down. We're going to come back out, we're going to vote. We're going to show that we care.

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