stand to

verb

To tolerate (something); to be able to withstand (something) stressful that will be ultimately beneficial.

“You could stand to lose a couple pounds.”

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Meanings

nounstand to (plural stands to or stand tos)

plural stands to · plural stand tos

  1. alternativeAlternative form of stand-to.
verbstand to (third-person singular simple present stands to, present participle standing to, simple past and past participle stood to)

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

  1. alternativeAlternative form of stand-to.
  2. To tolerate (something); to be able to withstand (something) stressful that will be ultimately beneficial.

    You could stand to lose a couple pounds.

  3. To be on the verge of (something) happening, if certain conditions are met.

    He stands to inherit ten million dollars if that happens!

  4. archaicTo live up to; to insist upon or maintain.

    I do not, for that cause, or any other cause, propose to destroy, or alter, or disregard the constitution. I stand to it, fairly, fully, and firmly. Abraham Lincoln

Origin

Shortened form of "stand to arms"

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

stand to. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stand%20to

MLA

“stand to.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stand%20to. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “stand to,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stand%20to.

Source: stand to on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.