What does stood mean?
“Stood” is the past tense and past participle of “stand,” the common English verb for being upright, supporting one’s body, or remaining in a particular place. It is used across ordinary and formal contexts: a person may have stood in a queue, a building may have stood for centuries, or an idea may have stood for an important principle. As the past participle, it combines with forms of “have” and “be,” as in “She has stood by him” and “The matter was left standing.” The word also appears in fixed expressions including “stood still,” “stood aside,” “stood out,” “stood for,” and “stood the test.” Its basic meaning conveys position or support, but many of its idiomatic uses concern enduring, remaining, representing, or opposing. Although “stood” is irregular in sound compared with many simple past forms, it is fully standard in both British and American English and is one of the most frequently used verb forms in the language.
verbThe past tense and past participle of “stand”: to be in an upright or supported position, or to remain, accept, or endure something.
- Past tense and past participle of “stand.”
- In the construction “stood + adjective,” it means to have been in that state or condition.
- In phrases such as “stood for” or “stood against,” it can mean to represent, endorse, oppose, or resist.
"After the storm passed, she stood on the porch and watched the clouds clear."
"The children stood in a line while the teacher explained the rules."
"The proposal stood for months without receiving a formal decision."
“Stood” carries the past of “stand,” a word whose simple present can mean either supporting your body or supporting an opinion.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does stood come from?
The modern English verb is the past form of “stand,” whose historical development began with Old English “standan,” inherited from Germanic *standan* and ultimately connected with a wider Indo-European root meaning “to stand” or “to set.” The past form “stood” reflects the historical change from the original Germanic pattern to a form with a long “oo” vowel, as also seen in “wood” and related words. “Standpoint,” “standoff,” and “standard” belong to the same English word family and preserve the broader sense of position or support.
Related word forms
How stood is actually used
“Stood” is a regular past form and can function as a past participle in perfect constructions and passive voice. In idioms such as “stood the test,” it means endured or withstood something; in “stood for,” it can mean represented or advocated.
Easily confused with stood
“Stood” is the past tense and past participle of “stand,” while “stud” can mean a small fastener or a male horse.
“Stood” means to be or have been standing, whereas “stool” is a seat, typically with legs.