stand up for
InseparableThe verb and particle never split. The object always follows the whole phrase.
How to say it
Main stress lands on the first particle: stand UP for. The trailing “for” reduces almost to nothing — expect a schwa, not a full vowel.
Link across the gap. The final /d/ of “stand” moves onto the particle and starts its syllable: “stand up” is said “stan-dup”. Pausing between the words is what makes phrasal verbs sound recited rather than spoken.
What it means
To defend a person or a principle.
- “Nobody stood up for her at the meeting.”
- “You have to stand up for what you believe.”
Similar: defend, support