gainstand (gainstands, present participle gainstanding; past and past participle gainstood)

1. (transitive, UK dialectal) To stand against; resist, oppose; withstand.
   • 1603, Michel de Montaigne, John Florio, transl., The Essayes, […], printed at London: By Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], OCLC 946730821 ↗:

     , Folio Society, 2006, p.5:

     He perceived three French Gentlemen, who alone, with an incredible and undaunted boldnesse, gainstood the enraged violence, and made head against the furie of his victorious armie.

   • 1874, The Gentleman's magazine: Volume 237:

     It was the New Castle built upon Tyne to gainstand the Scots, who then and for some centuries afterwards sadly troubled these rough borderers, and in turn were sadly troubled by them.

   • 1888, Eliakim Littell, Robert S. Littell, The living age: Volume 177:

     And therefore I conclude that they who gainstood his commandment resisted not the ordinance of God.

2. (intransitive, UK dialectal) To make or offer resistance.

gainstand (plural gainstands)

1. (now chiefly dialectal, Scotland) Opposition; resistance.