71. stand for I. a. To uphold, defend (a cause, etc.); to support, take the part of (a person). Also, †to stand hard for.
a1300 Cursor M. 18933 To stand ai stitli for þe fai, And thrali preche al crist lai. c1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 24 For to meyntene goddis lawe and stond for his worschipe. 1567 Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.) 142 For Christis word se Še stand for it. 1593 R. Bancroft Dang. Posit. iv. xiv. 179 Certaine+men+would shortly take vpon them the defence of the cause, which he and his brethren in prison stood-for. 1642 Prince Rupert his Declaration 6 The Lord prosper the worke of their hands who stand for God and King Charles. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 34 310 Every Man at first stood hard for his Friend. 1842 Browning Cavalier Tunes i. i, Kentish Sir Byng stood for his King. 1847 Tennyson Princess v. 169, I beheld her, when she rose+and storming in extremes, Stood for her cause.
12. a. To appear as a candidate, to offer oneself as a candidate. Const. for (a post, office, †university degree); †to be (an office-holder); against (a rival candidate). †In early use to stand for the election (of), to stand in election (for), stand to be elected; also to stand candidate.
1551 Robinson tr. More's Utopia ii. iii. (1895) 136 Owte of the .iiii. quarters of the citie there be .iiii. chosen+to stande for the election. 1562 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxford (1880) 291 The two fyrste persons+shall stonde+for the eleccyon of the Mayer. 1607 Shakes. Cor. ii. i. 248 Were he to stand for Consull. Ibid. ii. ii. 2 How many stand for Consulships? 1631 Weever Anc. Funeral Mon. 540 Who stood in election for the Popedome. a1635 Naunton Fragm. Reg. (Arb.) 54 None durst appear to stand for the place. 1674 Wood Life (O.H.S.) II. 279 Thomas Thyn chose burgher for Oxon.+ Sir Ch. Wren stood against him. Ibid. Sir Georg Croke stood but he had very few votes. 1678 Walton Life Sanderson b1b, In the year 1614. he stood to be elected one of the Proctors.+ They perswaded him, that if he would but stand for Proctor,+he would infallibly carry it against any Opposers. 1690 Locke 3rd Let. Toleration i. (1692) 25 Had you stood to be Constable of your Parish. 1705 Hearne Collect. 6 Oct. (O.H.S.) I. 52 Mr. Ellison stands Candidate for Fellow. Ibid. 17 Nov. 85 Dr. Hudson stood to be Library-Keeper. 1709 Ibid. 27 Oct. II. 293 [He] stood for ye Degree of Master of Arts. 1720 Ozell Vertot's Rom. Rep. II. xiii. 278 Those that stood Candidates brought their money openly to the Place of Election. 1803 Gradus ad Cantabr. 131 To stand for an honour. 1879 Froude Cæsar iv. 39 Marius began to be spoken of as a possible candidate. Marius consented to stand. 1890 Blackw. Mag. CXLVIII. 589/2 He did not stand for a fellowship.
3. a. Of a horse: To be kept in a stable or stall. Phr. to stand at livery (see livery 1c and fig.).
1465 Paston Lett. II. 254 As touching a stabil, Sir John Sparham and I have gote yow on ther your hors stode the last tyme ye were in this town. 1482 Cely Papers (Camden) 122 Lette hym [a horse] ron in a parke tyll Hallowtyd and then take hym wpe and ser hym and lette hym stand in the dede of whyntter. 1538 Elyot Dict., Stabulo, to stande as cattayle dothe in a stable. 1577 Googe Heresbach's Husb. 120 Laying fresh litter, so as they stand hard. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts 374 Bring him into the stable, and ther let him stand on the bit+the space of two houres. 1676 Lond. Gaz. No. 1072/4 Gentlemens Accompts, for Horses standing in the Kings Head near Charing-cross. 1828 Darvill Race Horse I. x. 240 The race-course, at Richmond+is the most convenient for horses which stand in the town to sweat over. 1892 Field 2 April 469/3 A horse standing at livery would always have the best of food.
b. Of a stallion: to be available as a stud-horse to serve mares (esp. at a certain place). Also, to stand at stud (cf. stud n.2). orig. U.S.
1766 Virginia Gaz. 4 Apr. 3/3 Merry Tom Stands at my house, and covers mares at a guinea the leap. 1788 W. Lenoir in N. E. Eliason Tarheel Talk (1956) 297 Whirligig will stand this season+& will cover Mares at Forty Shillings per season Twenty Shillings per cover. 1846 Spirit of Times 18 Apr. 94/1 Young Dread will stand this season at Watertown, Jefferson County, N.Y. 1891 J. L. Kipling Beast & Man in India viii. 207 Importing English thoroughbreds, Arabs, and Norfolk trotters who stand as sires at the service of farmers. 1959 Times 31 Aug. 13/5 (heading) Shantung to stand in England. 1974 D. Francis Knock Down xiv. 171 Nestegg is standing at stud in Ireland. 1974 New Yorker 29 Apr. 102/2 Go Man Go stands at stud at Buena Suerte Ranch. Ibid. 102/3 Tony B Deck's father, who stood in Perry, Oklahoma, was murdered in his stall. 1977 N.Z. Herald 5 Jan. 1–12/5 Aristoi is by Sir Gaylord from Attlea, by Mt Trouble from Athenia, by Pharamond II, and stands at the Preston Farm Stud.
