The antonyms for "gave ground" are "defended," "held firm," "resisted," "stood one's ground," and "maintained." These words indicate an opposite action from giving ground, which means retreating or yielding to opposition or pressure. To defend means to protect something or someone, while holding firm means not letting go or staying fixed in one's position. Resisting refers to the act of opposing or withstanding something, while standing one's ground means staying in one place despite opposition. Maintaining means keeping something intact or continuing something that has been started. These antonyms illustrate different ways of opposing, resisting, and protecting oneself from threats.