stand fire

present singular third person stands fire · participle present standing fire · participle past stood fire · past stood fire

1. idiomaticgovernmentTo put oneself in the way of an enemy's firing.

   2 more examples

   They were again under fire at Vaal Krantz, the shells dropping a few yards in front of them as the bearers removed the men. Hospital orderlies, water-carriers, nurses, bearers, all were willing to do or be anything in this dire need; and although not infrequently obliged to accept insults or to stand fire, they acquitted themselves with great credit, and earned the unstinted praise of the soldiers.

   1909, Joseph John Doke, M. K. Gandhi: Indian Patriot in South Africa, Chapter 13

   It is perfectly possible to take a thousand individuals, each of whom is individually fearless, form them hastily into a regiment, and collectively they will not stand fire. A thousand individual heroes may easily make one collective regimental coward. Such is the incomprehensible psychology of the mob.

   1917, Harris Dickson, s:The Unpopular History of the United States by Uncle Sam Himself, Chapter 14

2. idiomaticTo put oneself in a position vulnerable to rebuke or criticism

   Synonyms: face the music