defiance

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

Challenge to fight

Nouns — defiance, dare, challenge, threat; provocation; war cry, war whoop; rebellion (see disobedience); insolence; contempt, disdain; audacity, daring; fighting words, gauntlet; chip on one's shoulder. Informal, cheek[iness], brass[iness], sauciness. See rashness, opposition.

Verbs — defy, dare, double-dare, beard, brave (see courage); bid defiance to, set at naught, set at defiance, provoke; hurl defiance at; face down, fly in the face of, brazen it out, kick against the pricks, nail one's colors to the mast; dance the war dance; snap one's fingers at, bite the thumb, thumb one's nose at, laugh to scorn; disobey; show fight, show one's teeth, show a bold front, call a bluff; look big, stand akimbo; double or shake the fist, threaten (see threat); throw in the teeth; throw down or pick up the gauntlet, gage, or glove; stick to one's guns; challenge, call out; toss one's hat in the ring.

Adjectives — defiant; defying, daring; with arms akimbo; insolent, contemptuous, bold, rebellious. Informal, brassy, saucy, cheeky.

Adverbs — defiantly, in defiance, in the teeth of; under one's very nose.

Phrases — you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.

Antonyms, see obedience, fear.

II

(Roget's IV) n.

Syn. insubordination, rebellion, resistance, insurgence; see disobedience .

• in defiance of,

Syn. contemptuous of, notwithstanding, in spite of; see regardless 2 .

III

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus) n.

rebellion, disobedience, resistance, opposition, challenge, insolence, revolt, *throwing down the gauntlet, disregard, contempt.

ANT.: conformance, acquiescence, deference

IV

(Roget's Thesaurus II) noun 1. Behavior or an act that is intentionally provocative: challenge, provocation. See ATTACK. 2. The disposition boldly to defy or resist authority or an opposing force: contempt, contumacy, despite, recalcitrance, recalcitrancy. See RESIST.