resist

¹re·sist

verb \ri-ˈzist\

Definition of RESIST

intransitive verb

: to exert force in opposition

transitive verb

1

: to exert oneself so as to counteract or defeat <he resisted temptation>

2

: to withstand the force or effect of <material that resists heat>

Examples of RESIST

1. He was charged with resisting arrest.
2. These windows can resist very high winds.
3. The drug will help your body resist infection.
4. She couldn't resist telling us what she'd heard.
5. He was able to resist the urge to tell her his secret.
6. It was hard resisting the temptation to open the box.
7. The offer was hard to resist.
8. I know I shouldn't have any more cake, but I can't resist.

Origin of RESIST

Middle English, from Anglo-French or Latin; Anglo-French resister, from Latin resistere, from re- + sistere to take a stand; akin to Latin stare to stand — more at stand

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to RESIST

Synonyms

buck, defy, fight, oppose, repel, withstand

Antonyms

bow (to), capitulate (to), give in (to), knuckle under (to), stoop (to), submit (to), succumb (to), surrender (to), yield (to)

Related Words

battle, combat, contend (with); challenge, contest, contradict, dispute; baffle, balk, foil, frustrate, thwart; check, counter, hinder, obstruct, stem

See Synonym Discussion at oppose

Rhymes with RESIST

A-list, assist, backlist, blacklist, B-list, checklist, consist, dean's list, delist, desist, encyst, enlist, entwist, exist, handlist, hit list, insist, life list, mailed fist, persist, playlist, protist, Rehnquist, short list, short-list, subsist, untwist, wait-list, white list, wish list

²resist

noun, often attributive

Definition of RESIST

: something (as a coating) that protects against a chemical, electrical, or physical action

First Known Use of RESIST

1836

Other Electrical Engineering Terms

feedback, fuse, incandescent, noise, resonance