A dictionary of Confusable Phrases: More Than 10,000 Idioms and Collocations

stand in for something • stand out for something
stand in for something —
1
. support a cause: Living in what
looks like a remarkably nice housing estate, Topsy and Tim
clearly stand in for classless society. 2. be in league with a per-
son for mutual support or joint action: The policeman who
“stood in” for this robbery saw the rogues depart with their
plunder.
Note: 
The expression does not fully correlate in meaning with
the phrase stand for something—
1
. = stand in for something 
1
:
We stand for nonracial not multiracial cricket and believe in
selection on merit, irrespective of color. 2. indicate or imply
smth.: What will the term “Accredited Milk” stand for? It will
be milk from cows that have been clinically tested. 3. offer
oneself as a candidate for an office: I even became political
enough to stand for a councillorship. 4. put up with smth.;
bear smth.: Overseas Governments just won’t stand for it, par-
ticularly when they get to know what’s going on.
stand out for something— = stand in for something 
1
: He has
not grit enough to stand out for justice and honesty.
stand in good with someone • stand someone in
good stead
stand in good with someone —be on friendly terms with a
person; enjoy smb.’s favor: He should be able to do this favor
for you, because he stands in good with the doctor.
stand someone in good stead —prove to be useful or helpful
to a person (in an emergency): Frank’s knowledge of Spanish
stood him in good stead when his firm sent him to Mexico.
stand off from someone • stand out from someone
stand off from someone —(also: stand apart from someone) keep
away from other people: Mary dislikes parties, and tends to
stand off from everyone else if she does attend one.
stand out from someone —be prominent or conspicuous in
comparison with others: He stands out from among men for
his brilliant mental powers.