sup·port[suh-pawrt, -pohrt]
–verb (used with object)
1. to bear or hold up (a load, mass, structure, part, etc.); serve as a foundation for.
2. to sustain or withstand (weight, pressure, strain, etc.) without giving way; serve as a prop for.
3. to undergo or endure, esp. with patience or submission; tolerate.
4. to sustain (a person, the mind, spirits, courage, etc.) under trial or affliction: They supported him throughout his ordeal.
5. to maintain (a person, family, establishment, institution, etc.) by supplying with things necessary to existence; provide for: to support a family.
6. to uphold (a person, cause, policy, etc.) by aid, countenance, one's vote, etc.; back; second.
7. to maintain or advocate (a theory, principle, etc.).
8. to corroborate (a statement, opinion, etc.): Leading doctors supported his testimony.
9. to act with or second (a lead performer); assist in performance: The star was supported by a talented newcomer.
–noun
10. the act or an instance of supporting.
11. the state of being supported.
12. something that serves as a foundation, prop, brace, or stay.
13. maintenance, as of a person or family, with necessaries, means, or funds: to pay for support of an orphan.
14. a person or thing that supports, as financially: The pension was his only support.
15. a person or thing that gives aid or assistance.
16. an actor, actress, or group performing with a lead performer.
17. the material, as canvas or wood, on which a picture is painted.
18. Stock Exchange. support level.
–adjective
19. (of hosiery) made with elasticized fibers so as to fit snugly on the legs, thereby aiding circulation, relieving fatigue, etc.
[Origin: 1350–1400; (v.) ME supporten < MF supporter < ML support?re to endure (L: to convey), equiv. to sup- sup- + port?re to carry (see port5); (n.) ME, deriv. of the v.]
—Related forms
sup·port·ing·ly, adverb
—Synonyms 1, 6. Support, maintain, sustain, uphold all mean to hold up and to preserve. To support is to hold up or add strength to, literally or figuratively: The columns support the roof. To maintain is to support so as to preserve intact: to maintain an attitude of defiance. To sustain, a rather elevated word, suggests completeness and adequacy in supporting: The court sustained his claim. Uphold applies esp. to supporting or backing another, as in a statement, opinion, or belief: to uphold the rights of a minority. 3. suffer, bear, stand, stomach. 13. sustenance, subsistence, keep. See living.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
support. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Retrieved January 07, 2007, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/support