defies

Defies is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb defy. It means to openly resist or refuse to obey; to challenge or withstand something that is expected, required, or deemed possible. It can describe persistence against rules, norms, or physical limits, or the act of challenging authority or the status quo. When one defies something, the act is intentional and often conspicuous.

Etymology: Defies originates from Old French defier, meaning to challenge or to impugn, which itself derives from Latin diffidare, meaning to distrust or lack confidence. Over time, defier acquired the sense of challenging or resisting.

Usage: Defies is used as a transitive verb with a direct object (defies the law; defies gravity) or with abstract targets (defies expectations, defies description). The phrase defies the odds is a common idiom. The past tense is defied; the present participle is defying; the noun form is defiance, and the related adjective is defiant. In tone, defies can express admiration (someone who defies odds) or criticism (defies guidelines).

Examples: The climber defies the weather and climbs at dawn. The novelist's work defies simple categorization. Public opinion often defies politicians' promises.

See also: defiance, defiant, defy.