# stand up

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/stand-up
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

(stand someone up) To avoid a prearranged meeting, especially a date, with (a person) without prior notification; to jilt or shirk.

## Examples

- He stood me up last night and never called.
- She waited at the restaurant for an hour before realizing he had stood her up.
- After being stood up twice in one month, she decided to delete the dating app and focus on herself.

## Origin

From Middle English *standen up*, from Old English *standan up*. The term is a compound of *stand* and *up*, with a recorded equivalent in Old Norse *standa upp*.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.