Definition of "standing-ground" []

• Place or ground on which to stand; especially, that on which one rests, in a figurative sense; a basis of operations or of argument; a fundamental principle. (noun)

The Century Dictionary (Public Domain)

• "He had, however, as he was aware, thrown a great deal of expression into his inquiries after her health, and he had, now to calculate how he could best use the standing-ground that he had made for himself."
• "She looked at him as she slowly receded to her former standing-ground, but he never for a moment suspected the nature of her purpose."
• "Defeated in the attempt to act like a strong man, he could not yet recover standing-ground, knew not how to tone his utterances."