Where does “withstand” come from?
Withstand comes from Middle English withstanden, from Old English wiþstandan, combining wiþ- (against) and standaną (to stand) from Proto-Germanic, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European steh₂- (to stand).
withstand (English): To resist or endure (something) successfully
Definitions
- To resist or endure (something) successfully
Ancestry of “withstand”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | withstanden | — |
| 2 | Old English | wiþstandan | to stand against, stand in the way of, resist, be... |
| 3 | Old English | wiþ | against, opposite; along, towards; with |
| 4 | Old English | wiþer | toward, against; again, against; against, in... |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | wiþr | toward, against |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | wiþrą | toward, against |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | wī-tero- | further apart |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | wi | apart, asunder; away from, against |