defy
verb
[ dɪˈfʌɪ ]
• openly resist or refuse to obey.
• "a woman who defies convention"
Similar:
disobey,
refuse to obey,
go against,
rebel against,
flout,
fly in the face of,
thumb one's nose at,
disregard,
ignore,
set one's face against,
kick against,
break,
violate,
contravene,
breach,
infringe,
cock a snook at,
set at naught,
resist,
withstand,
take a stand against,
hold out against,
stand up to,
confront,
face,
meet head-on,
take on,
square up to,
beard,
brave,
outface,
• appear to be challenging (someone) to do or prove something.
• "he glowered at her, defying her to mock him"
Origin:
Middle English (in the senses ‘renounce an allegiance’ and ‘challenge to combat’): from Old French desfier, based on Latin dis- (expressing reversal) + fidus ‘faithful’.
