Lewis & Short

ob-sto, stĭti, ātum (obstaturus, Front. Aquaed. 123; Quint. 2, 11, 1; Stat. Th. 7, 247; gen. plur. obstantum, Sil. 5, 277), 1, v. n., to stand before or against any thing.

  1. I. In gen. (very rare): soli luna obstitit, Enn. ap. Cic. Rep. 1, 16, 25 (Ann. v. 167 Vahl.); cf.: montibus obstipis obstantibus, id. ap. Paul. ex Fest. p. 193 Müll. (Ann. v. 407 ib.): dominae niveis a vultibus obstas, Stat. S. 1, 2, 23; so, summis a postibus, id. Th. 4, 17: obviam, to stand in the way, Plaut. Stich. 2, 1, 14.
  2. II. In partic., to stand against or in the way of a person or thing; to withstand, thwart, hinder, oppose, obstruct (the class. signif. of the word; syn.: obsisto, adversor, officio).
    Constr. with dat., absol., with quin, quominus, cur, or ne.
          1. (α) With dat.: quae tardis mora noctibus obstet, Verg. A. 1, 746: alicui, Plaut. Mil. 4, 2, 6: cur mihi te offers ac meis commodis officis et obstas? Cic. Rosc. Am. 38, 112; cf. id. ib. 2, 6: vita cetera eorum huic sceleri obstat, their former life stands opposed to this crime, secures them against the suspicion of this crime, Sall. C. 52, 31: di omnes quibus obstitit Ilium, was an offence to, Verg. A. 6, 64: nam sic labentibus (aedibus) obstat vilicus, i. e. keeps from falling, Juv. 3, 194; cf. v. 243.
            For the dat. in with acc. is found: in laudem vetustorum invidia non obstat, Sen. Ben. 7, 8, 2.
          2. (β) Absol.: me obstare, illos obsequi, Enn. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 31, 66: restitant, occurrunt, obstant, id. ap. Non. 147, 9 (Sat. v. 5 ib.): obstando magis quam pugnando castra tutabantur, Liv. 40 25: exercitus hostium duo obstant, block up the way, Sall. C. 58, 6; Plaut. Trin. 1, 1, 15: si omnia removentur, quae obstant et impediunt, Cic. Ac. 2, 7, 19.
          3. (γ) With quin: quibus non humana ulla, neque divina obstant, quin socios amicos trahant, exscindant, Sall. H. 4, 61, 17 Dietsch.
          4. (δ) With quominus: quid obstat, quominus sit beatus? Cic. N. D. 1, 34, 95: ne quid divini humanive obstet, quominus justum piumque de integro ineatur bellum, Liv. 9, 8, 6.
            (ε) With cur: quid obstat, cur non (verae nuptiae) fiant? Ter. And. 1, 1, 76.
            (ζ) With ne: Histiaeus Milesius, ne res conficeretur, obstitit, Nep. Milt. 3, 5: cum ibi quoque religio obstaret, ne non posset nisi ab consule dici dictator, Liv. 4, 31, 4: ne id, quod placebat, decerneret in tantae nobilitatis viris, ambitio obstabat, id. 5, 36, 9.
        1. b. Impers. pass.: nec, si non obstatur, propterea etiam permittitur, Cic. Phil. 13, 6, 14: indignatur amans Obstari animae, Ov. M. 11, 788.
        2. c. Part. pres. in plur. as subst.: obstantia, ĭum, n.: obstantia silvarum amoliri, hinderances, obstructions, Tac. A. 1, 50.