Idiom
Stand your ground
To stand your ground means to refuse to back down or change your position when someone pressures, challenges or argues with you.
How people use it
People use it for holding firm in arguments, negotiations or tough situations: "She stood her ground and asked for the refund she was owed." It suggests courage and calm determination, usually in a positive way. Hold your ground means the same. You can also stand your ground physically, for example when a hiker stays still instead of running from an animal. In American law, "stand your ground" is also the technical name for certain self-defense laws, a separate and specific use.
Also said: hold your ground.
Examples
- When the seller tried to raise the price at the last minute, Priya decided to stand her ground.
- It's hard to stand your ground in a debate when everyone else disagrees with you.
- The coach told the defenders to hold their ground instead of chasing the ball.
Where it comes from
It comes from battle. Soldiers who stood their ground kept their position instead of retreating when the enemy advanced. English has used the phrase in that literal sense for centuries, and its figurative use for arguments and disagreements grew out of it.
Check yourself
1. If you stand your ground, what do you do?
Answer: Refuse to back down. Stand your ground means keeping your position when someone pressures you.
2. Which sentence uses the idiom correctly?
Answer: When her brother insisted he was right, Maya calmly stood her ground.. Staying firm in a disagreement is what standing your ground means.
Word game fan? See every word hiding in GROUND.