DEFY

de-fi' (charaph, za`am): In 1 Sam 17:10,25,26,36,45 (the story of David and Goliath) and kindred passages, this word is used in its most familiar sense--"to taunt," "challenge to combat" (Hebrew charaph). In Numbers 23:7-8 "denounce" would be a better translation than "defy" (Hebrew za`am).

From the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Edited by James Orr, published in 1939 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.