affirm affront allege announce annunciate appear argue assert assever asseverate aver avouch avow beard bell the cat bite the bullet brave brazen brazen out break silence come forth confront contend declare enunciate express face face the music face up face up to front have have no secrets hold insist issue a manifesto lay down maintain manifesto materialize meet meet boldly meet head-on open up pipe up predicate proclaim profess pronounce protest put put it run the gauntlet say say out set at defiance set down speak speak out stand for stand on stand up to state submit take a stand take the floor