Vzdorovat

Vzdorovat is a Czech verb meaning "to rebel," "to resist," or "to defy." The term originates from the Slavic root * vzdor-*, related to resistance, and is cognate with Slovak vzdorovať. In contemporary Czech, vzdorovat is typically used to describe an individual or group opposing authority, rules, or oppression, either through passive non‑compliance or active opposition. It can refer to acts ranging from civil disobedience and protests to literal armed resistance.

Grammatically, the verb is irregular and appears in the infinitive form vzdorovat, present tense je vzdoruje, past tense byl vzdoroval, and future tense bude vzdorovat. Its reflexive form vzdorovat se is generally unproductive because the concept of self‑rebellion is usually expressed with other constructions. The past participle vzdorující can be used attributively, e.g., vzdorující studenti (rebelling students).

In literary and historical contexts, vzdorovat encapsulates the moral and political undertones of defiance. It is often employed in the study of social movements, Czech national revival, and resistance during World War II, where phrases like „vzdorovat nadvládě“ (to rebel against domination) are common. The term also serves in comparative Slavic studies, highlighting similarities and differences among related verbs such as Russian восстать (vostat') and Polish buntować.

Resources for further study include standard Czech dictionaries—MČR's Slovník jazyka českého and ČESKOUF's dictionary—and the Brno-based dictionary of Czech verbs. These sources detail collocations, idiomatic usages, and historical evolution, providing scholarship for linguists, historians, and translators.