support
to bear or hold up (a load, mass, structure, part, etc.); serve as a foundation for: Don’t take down this dividing wall, as it supports the roof.
to sustain or withstand (weight, pressure, strain, speed, etc.) without giving way: The specs on this folding chair say it can support up to 200 pounds.The circuit breaker was not able to support the electrical requirements of three appliances.
to encourage, comfort, help, etc., under trial or affliction; sustain: They supported him throughout his ordeal.
to maintain (a person, family, establishment, institution, etc.) by supplying with things necessary to existence; provide for: It is next to impossible to support a family on such a low salary.
to give financial assistance to (a person, organization, program, etc.); be a contributor to or patron of: I try to support the local theater by buying season tickets every year.Our scholarship fund supports a number of students from lower-income families.
Computers. (of a manufacturer) to provide regular updates, troubleshooting, service, etc., for (a program or device): They’re no longer supporting this version of the operating system.
to uphold (a person, cause, policy, etc.) by aid, public approval, one's vote, etc.; back; second: He was unable to support the resolution, but did not speak out against it either.Which candidate do you support in the City Council race?
to maintain or advocate (a theory, principle, etc.): Many viewers support the theory that the housekeeper will turn out to be the murderer.
to corroborate (a statement, opinion, etc.): Leading doctors supported his testimony.
to act with or second (a lead performer); assist in performance: The star was supported by a talented newcomer.
to undergo or endure, especially with patience or submission; tolerate: How do you support the constant drama in this office?
the act or an instance of sustaining, upholding, helping, advocating for, etc.: Without emotional support I would never have made it through.Support for the party is growing among younger voters.
something that serves as a foundation, prop, brace, or stay: Those L-brackets are the supports for the shelf.
maintenance, such as of a person or family, with necessities, means, or funds: He paid for the support of the orphans until they completed their education.
a person or thing that supports, as financially: The pension was his only support.
a person or thing that gives aid, encouragement, etc.: You have been such a support to me over this challenging time.The revised edition also includes updated daily lesson plans, sample tests, and other curricular supports.
Digital Technology. a department, team, or individual that offers troubleshooting, instruction, assistance, etc., to users: If you’re still having trouble signing in, contact support at the number below.
Computers. regular updates, troubleshooting, service, etc., by a manufacturer for a piece of software or hardware: Support for this application has been withdrawn.
an actor, actress, or group performing with a lead performer.
the material, such as canvas or wood, on which a picture is painted.
Stock Exchange. support level.
serving to assist, such as by providing instruction or solving problems, managing administrative tasks, supplementing the activities of colleagues, etc.: Teachers are calling for smaller class sizes and more support personnel in the classroom.You will be acting in a support role to the executive director.
(of socks or stockings) made with elasticized fibers so as to fit snugly on the legs, thereby aiding circulation, relieving fatigue, etc.: She wears support stockings for varicose veins.
Origin of support
1word story For support
Other words for support
Other words from support
- sup·port·ing·ly, adverb
- non·sup·port·ing, adjective
- pre·sup·port, noun, verb (used with object)
- pro·sup·port, adjective
- qua·si-sup·port·ed, adjective
- un·der·sup·port, noun
- un·sup·port·ed, adjective
- un·sup·port·ed·ly, adverb
- un·sup·port·ing, adjective
- well-sup·port·ed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use support in a sentence
Who among Scalise's constituents could possibly care if he supported naming a post office for a black judge who died in 1988?
When it came to Android, however, it was ad-supported but free.
Lost For Thousands of Strokes: 'Desert Golfing' Is 'Angry Birds' as Modern Art | Alec Kubas-Meyer | January 2, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTBut an ad-supported version of Desert Golfing was impossible.
Lost For Thousands of Strokes: 'Desert Golfing' Is 'Angry Birds' as Modern Art | Alec Kubas-Meyer | January 2, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTSupported by Washington, the domestic quota was cut from 90 days to 30.
Propaganda, Protest, and Poisonous Vipers: The Cinema War in Korea | Rich Goldstein | December 30, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThat November, many of us were stunned as voters in four states supported marriage equality at the ballot box.
The Real Story Behind the Fight for Marriage Equality | E.J. Graff | December 30, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
After all, the divine portion, the head, can be supported very well without their help.
Children's Ways | James SullyHer left knee was supported on pillows, and the bed-clothes were raised away from it, for it could tolerate no weight whatever.
Hilda Lessways | Arnold BennettThe body was resting upon a plank supported by four stakes and covered with skins.
This cross between a wheelbarrow and a sedan-chair was supported and trundled along the street by four bearers.
Our Little Korean Cousin | H. Lee M. PikeHe supported me consistently, permitting no one but himself to interfere with anything I thought it right to do.
Fifty Years of Railway Life in England, Scotland and Ireland | Joseph Tatlow
British Dictionary definitions for support
/ (səˈpɔːt) /
to carry the weight of
to bear or withstand (pressure, weight, etc)
to provide the necessities of life for (a family, person, etc)
to tend to establish (a theory, statement, etc) by providing new facts; substantiate
to speak in favour of (a motion)
to give aid or courage to
to give approval to (a cause, principle, etc); subscribe to: to support a political candidature
to endure with forbearance: I will no longer support bad behaviour
to give strength to; maintain: to support a business
(tr) (in a concert) to perform earlier than (the main attraction)
films theatre
to play a subordinate role to
to accompany (the feature) in a film programme
to act or perform (a role or character)
the act of supporting or the condition of being supported
a thing that bears the weight or part of the weight of a construction
a person who or thing that furnishes aid
the means of maintenance of a family, person, etc
a band or entertainer not topping the bill
the support an actor or group of actors playing subordinate roles
med an appliance worn to ease the strain on an injured bodily structure or part
the solid material on which a painting is executed, such as canvas
See athletic support
Origin of support
1Derived forms of support
- supportless, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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