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rovoking to combat; a challenge; a provocation; a summons to combat. A war without a just defiance made. Dryden. Stood for her cause, and flung defiance down. Tennyson.

To face in defiance; to confront; as, to confront; as, to affront death; hence, to meet in hostile encounter. [Archaic]

of different species of the genus Andropogon. -- To one's beard, to one's face; in open defiance.

To offer in words; to declare, as a wish, a greeting, a threat, or defiance, etc.; as, to bid one welcome; to bid good morning, farewell, etc. Neither bid him God speed. 2. John 10. He bids defiance to the gaping crowd. Granrille.

A challenge; a defiance; bravado. [Obs.] Demetrius, thou dost overween in all; And so in this, to bear me down with braves. Shak.

The act of braving; defiance; bravado. [Obs.] Reform, then, without bravery or scandal of former times and persons.

A daring villain; a bandit; one who sets law at defiance; a professional assassin or murderer. Safe from detection, seize the unwary prey. And stab, like bravoes, all who come this way. Churchill.

To make a show of fireceness or defiance; to bristle. [Obs.] To brustle up, to bristle up. [Obs.] Otway.

A letter of defiance or challenge; a challenge to single combat. [Obs.] He is cowed at the very idea of a cartel., Sir W. Scott. Cartel, or Cartel ship, a ship employed in the exchange of prisoners, or in carrying propositions to an enemy; a ship beating a flag of truce and privileged from capture.

An invitation to engage in a contest or controversy of any kind; a defiance; specifically, a summons to fight a duel; also, the letter or message conveying the summons. A challenge to controversy. Goldsmith.

To make the shrill sound characteristic of a cock, either in joy, gayety, or defiance. "The cock had crown." Bayron. The morning cock crew loud. Shak.

Defiance; challenge. Childish, unworthy dares Are not enought to part our powers. Chapman. Sextus Pompeius Hath given the dare to Cæsar. Shak.

Full af daring or of defiance; adveturous. [R.] Shak.

Full of defiance; bold; insolent; as, a defiant spirit or act. In attitude stern and defiant. Longfellow. -- De*fi"ant*ly, adv. -- De*fi"ant*ness, n.

Bidding or manifesting defiance. [Obs.] Shelford.

ke to combat or strife; to call out to combat; to challenge; to dare; to brave; to set at defiance; to treat with contempt; as, to defy an enemy; to defy the power of a magistrate; to defy the arguments of an opponent; to defy public opinion. I once again Defy thee to the trial of mortal fight. Milton. I defy the enemi…

An act of malice, hatred, or defiance; contemptuous defiance; a deed of contempt. A despite done against the Most High. Milton. In despite, in defiance of another's power or inclination. -- In despite of, in defiance of; in spite of. See under Spite. "Seized my hand in despite of my efforts to the contrary." W. Irving…

otic sentiment electrified the audience. If the sovereign were now to immure a subject in defiance of the writ of habeas corpus . . . the whole nation would be instantly electrified by the news. Macaulay. Try whether she could electrify Mr. Grandcourt by mentioning it to him at table. G. Eliot.

lazoned. -- Red flag, a flag of a red color, displayed as a signal of danger or token of defiance; the emblem of anarchists. -- To dip, the flag, to mlower it and quickly restore it to its place; -- done as a mark of respect. -- To hang out the white flag, to ask truce or quarter, or, in some cases, to manifest a fr…

o rush on; to attack suddenly. -- To fly in the face of, to insult; to assail; to set at defiance; to oppose with violence; to act in direct opposition to; to resist. -- To fly off, to separate, or become detached suddenly; to revolt. -- To fly on, to attack. -- To fly open, to open suddenly, or with violence. --…