Defy
King James Dictionary [1]
DEFY,
1. To dare to provoke to combat or strife, by appealing to the courage of another to invite one to contest to challenge as, Goliath defied the armies of Israel. 2. To dare to brave to offer to hazard a conflict by manifesting a contempt of opposition, attack or hostile force as, to defy the arguments of an opponent to defy the power of the magistrate.
Were we to abolish the common law, it would rise triumphant above its own ruins, deriding and defying its impotent enemies.
3. To challenge to say or do any thing.
DEFY, n. A challenge.
Webster's Dictionary [2]
(1): ( n.) A challenge.
(2): ( v. t.) To renounce or dissolve all bonds of affiance, faith, or obligation with; to reject, refuse, or renounce.
(3): ( v. t.) To provoke to combat or strife; to call out to combat; to challenge; to dare; to brave; to set at defiance; to treat with contempt; as, to defy an enemy; to defy the power of a magistrate; to defy the arguments of an opponent; to defy public opinion.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [3]
dē̇ - fı̄ ´ (חרף , ḥāraph , זעם , zā‛am ): In 1 Samuel 17:10 , 1 Samuel 17:25 , 1 Samuel 17:26 , 1 Samuel 17:36 , 1 Samuel 17:45 (the story of David and Goliath) and kindred passages, this word is used in its most familiar sense - "to taunt," "challenge to combat" (Hebrew ḥāraph ). In Numbers 23:7 , Numbers 23:8 "denounce" would be a better translation than "defy" (Hebrew zā‛am ).
