Comments on: Stand down http://www.word-detective.com/2012/06/stand-down/ Semper Ubi Sub Ubi Wed, 20 Mar 2013 19:32:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Steve Dunham http://www.word-detective.com/2012/06/stand-down/comment-page-1/#comment-41878 Steve Dunham Fri, 06 Jul 2012 18:29:57 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=6750#comment-41878 In recent years I've seen "stand up" as an antonym to "stand down," even though the phrase already had the antonym "stand to." Is this called a back formation? I suspect that some people heard the phrase "stand down" and, unaware of "stand to," decided it needed an opposite, "stand up." In recent years I’ve seen “stand up” as an antonym to “stand down,” even though the phrase already had the antonym “stand to.” Is this called a back formation? I suspect that some people heard the phrase “stand down” and, unaware of “stand to,” decided it needed an opposite, “stand up.”

]]> By: Sylvia Joyce http://www.word-detective.com/2012/06/stand-down/comment-page-1/#comment-40334 Sylvia Joyce Thu, 14 Jun 2012 18:14:53 +0000 http://www.word-detective.com/?p=6750#comment-40334 Dear Word Detective, If it originated in World War I, could it be that “Stand down” was actually a literal command to soldiers being relieved that they should step “down” from the raised firing step to “stand” in the bottom of their trench? Dear Word Detective,

If it originated in World War I, could it be that “Stand down” was actually a literal command to soldiers being relieved that they should step “down” from the raised firing step to “stand” in the bottom of their trench?

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