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Resist vs Defeat - What's the difference?

resist | defeat |

In lang=en terms the difference between resist and defeat

is that resist is to oppose while defeat is to reduce, to nothing, the strength of.

As verbs the difference between resist and defeat

is that resist is to attempt to counter the actions or effects of while defeat is to overcome in battle or contest.

As nouns the difference between resist and defeat

is that resist is a protective coating or covering oxford english dictionary , 2nd ed, 1989 while defeat is the act of defeating or being defeated.

resist

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To attempt to counter the actions or effects of.
  • *{{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-28, author=(Joris Luyendijk)
  • , volume=189, issue=3, page=21, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Our banks are out of control , passage=Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic who still resists the idea that something drastic needs to happen for him to turn his life around.}}
  • To withstand the actions of.
  • * '>citation
  • *, chapter=16
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=The preposterous altruism too!
  • To oppose.
  • (obsolete) To be distasteful to.
  • * 1608 , , II. iii. 29:
  • These cates resist me,

    Usage notes

    * This is a catenative verb that takes the gerund (-ing) . See

    Derived terms

    * resistance

    Synonyms

    * (l) * (l) * (l)

    Antonyms

    * obey * submit

    Derived terms

    * irresistible * irresistibly * resistance * resistant * resistantly * resistible * resistibly * resistive * resistively * resistless * resistlessly * resistor

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A protective coating or covering. Oxford English Dictionary , 2nd ed., 1989.
  • Anagrams

    *

    References

    defeat

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To overcome in battle or contest.
  • Wellington defeated Napoleon at Waterloo.
  • To reduce, to nothing, the strength of.
  • * Tillotson
  • He finds himself naturally to dread a superior Being that can defeat all his designs, and disappoint all his hopes.
  • * A. W. Ward
  • In one instance he defeated his own purpose.
  • To nullify
  • * Hallam
  • The escheators defeated the right heir of his succession.

    Synonyms

    (To overcome in contest) * beat * conquer * overthrow * rout * vanquish

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act of defeating or being defeated.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2012 , date=May 13 , author=Alistair Magowan , title=Sunderland 0-1 Man Utd , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Two defeats in five games coming into this contest, and a draw with Everton, ultimately cost Sir Alex Ferguson's side in what became the most extraordinary finale to the league championship since Arsenal beat Liverpool at Anfield in 1989.}}