Advertisement

support (v.)

late 14c., "to aid," also "to hold up, prop up, put up with, tolerate," from Old French suporter "to bear, endure, sustain, support" (14c.), from Latin supportare "convey, carry, bring up, bring forward," from assimilated form of sub "up from under" (see sub-) + portare "to carry," from PIE root *per- (2) "to lead, pass over." Related: Supported; supporting.

support (n.)

late 14c., "act of assistance, backing, help, aid," from support (v.). Meaning "that which supports, one who provides assistance, protection, backing, etc." is early 15c. Sense of "bearing of expense" is mid-15c. Physical sense of "that which supports" is from 1560s. Meaning "services which enable something to fulfil its function and remain in operation" (as in tech support) is from 1953.

Entries related to support

Others are reading

Advertisement
Definitions of support from WordNet
1
support (v.)
give moral or psychological support, aid, or courage to;
She supported him during the illness
Synonyms: back up
support (v.)
support materially or financially;
The scholarship supported me when I was in college
he does not support his natural children
support (v.)
be behind; approve of;
Synonyms: back / endorse / indorse / plump for / plunk for
support (v.)
be the physical support of; carry the weight of;
He supported me with one hand while I balanced on the beam
Synonyms: hold / sustain / hold up
support (v.)
establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts;
The evidence supports the defendant
Synonyms: confirm / corroborate / sustain / substantiate / affirm
support (v.)
adopt as a belief;
Synonyms: subscribe
support (v.)
support with evidence or authority or make more certain or confirm;
Synonyms: corroborate / underpin / bear out
support (v.)
argue or speak in defense of;
She supported the motion to strike
Synonyms: defend / fend for
support (v.)
play a subordinate role to (another performer);
Olivier supported Gielgud beautifully in the second act
support (v.)
be a regular customer or client of;
Synonyms: patronize / patronise / patronage / keep going
support (v.)
put up with something or somebody unpleasant;
Synonyms: digest / endure / stick out / stomach / bear / stand / tolerate / brook / abide / suffer / put up
2
support (n.)
the activity of providing for or maintaining by supplying with money or necessities;
they gave him emotional support during difficult times
his support kept the family together
support (n.)
aiding the cause or policy or interests of;
they developed a scheme of mutual support
the president no longer has the support of his own party
support (n.)
something providing immaterial assistance to a person or cause or interest;
the policy found little public support
his faith was all the support he needed
the team enjoyed the support of their fans
support (n.)
a military operation (often involving new supplies of men and materiel) to strengthen a military force or aid in the performance of its mission;
they called for artillery support
Synonyms: reinforcement / reenforcement
support (n.)
documentary validation;
the strongest support for this view is the work of Jones
Synonyms: documentation
support (n.)
the financial means whereby one lives;
he applied to the state for support
Synonyms: keep / livelihood / living / bread and butter / sustenance
support (n.)
supporting structure that holds up or provides a foundation;
the statue stood on a marble support
support (n.)
the act of bearing the weight of or strengthening;
he leaned against the wall for support
Synonyms: supporting
support (n.)
a musical part (vocal or instrumental) that supports or provides background for other musical parts;
Synonyms: accompaniment / musical accompaniment / backup
support (n.)
any device that bears the weight of another thing;
there was no place to attach supports for a shelf
support (n.)
financial resources provided to make some project possible;
the foundation provided support for the experiment
Synonyms: financial support / funding / backing / financial backing
From wordnet.princeton.edu

Dictionary entries near support

suppliant

supplicant

supplicate

supplication

supply

support

supporter

supportive

supposably

suppose

supposed

© 2001-2021 Douglas Harper