Origin and history of stand

Middle English stonden, standen, from Old English standan "occupy a place; stand firm; congeal; stay, continue, abide; be valid, take place; oppose, resist attack; stand up, be on one's feet; consist, amount to" (class VI strong verb; past tense stod, past participle standen).

This is from Proto-Germanic *standanan, source also of Old Norse standa, Old Saxon standan, Old Frisian stonda, Gothic standan, Old High German stantan, which are related to simpler forms, such as Swedish stå, Dutch staan, also German stehen, with vowel perhaps altered by influence of gehen "go"), ultimately from PIE root *sta- "to stand, make or be firm."

The sense of "exist, be present" is attested from c. 1300. The meaning "to cost" is from mid-14c. (for sense, compare cost (v.), from Latin constare, literally "to stand at"). The meaning "be so high when standing" is from 1831.

The meaning "encounter without flinching or retreating" is from 1590s; that of "endure successfully, undergo, come through" is from c. 1600. The weaker sense of "put up with" is attested by 1620s (to not stand it is by 1750).

The meaning "submit" (to chances, etc.) is from c. 1700. The meaning "pay for as a treat" is from 1821. The sense of "become a candidate for office" is from 1550s. Nautical sense of "hold a course at sea" is from 1620s.

Stand back "keep (one's) distance" is from late 14c. To stand down is from 1680s, originally of witnesses in court; in the military sense of "come off duty" it is by 1916. To stand one's ground is by 1620s; to stand one's chances is by 1725.

Phrase stand pat (1869) is from poker, "declare one's intention to play one's hand as dealt," also figurative, earlier simply stand (1824 in other card games).

The phrase stand to reason (1620) "be reasonable; be natural, evident, or certain," is from earlier stands with reason; the notion in the verb is "adheres to, conforms with."

To let (something) stand is from c. 1200. The construction stand and (deliver, etc.) was in late Old English in Biblical translations.

Middle English stonde, "place, place of standing, position," from the verb or in some senses perhaps a continuation of Old English stand "a pause, delay, state of rest or inaction," itself from the root of stand (v.). Compare Dutch and German stand (n.).

The sense of "action of standing or coming to a position" is attested from late 14c., especially in reference to combat (1590s), "a holding of one's ground against an enemy or opponent." Hence the sporting use in reference to prolonged defensive resistance (1812). The meaning "state of being unable to proceed" in speech, action, etc., is from 1590s.

The meaning "raised platform for a hunter or sportsman" is attested from c. 1400; that of "raised platform for spectators at an open-air event" is from 1610s. The meaning "piece of furniture on which something is to be set" is from 1690s; the sense of "stall or booth" is recorded from c. 1500.

The military meaning "complete set" (of arms, colors, etc.) is from 1721, often a collective singular. The sense of "standing growth" (usually of trees) is by 1868, American English. The theatrical sense of "each stop made on a performance tour" is from 1895. The word formerly also was slang for an erection (1867).