support
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /səˈpɔːt/
ipa: [səˈpʰɔːt]
ipa: /səˈpɔɹt/
ipa: [səˈpʰɔɹt]
ipa: [səˈpʰoɹt]
note: rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
ipa: /səˈpo(ː)ɹt/
note: non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
ipa: /səˈpoət/
rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)t
Forms: form: supports
form: supporting
form: supported
form: supported
form: no-table-tags
form: glossary
form: support
form: support
form: supported
form: support
form: supportest
form: supported
form: supportedst
form: supports
form: supporteth
form: supported
form: support
form: supported
form: support
form: supported
form: support
form: -
form: supporting
form: supported
Etymology: From Middle English supporten, from Old French supporter, from Latin supportō.
Senses: examples: text: Don’t move that beam! It supports the whole platform.
text: He staggered away from the accident site, supported by one friend on each side.
text: There is a soft-mat seat (which originally had a palm fiber underwebbing) supported by three curved transverse braces.
ref: 1995, Nancy Berliner, Sarah Handler, Friends of the House, →ISBN, page 79:
text: One of the keys to glassing effectively is supporting your binoculars. Advanced glassers who scan lots of country for long periods of time, or who use binoculars of 10X power or more, often use a lightweight camera tripod […]
ref: 2000, Field & Stream, volume 105, number 6, page 87:
synonyms: bear
bestand
hold up
stut
undergird
underprop
upbear
upgird
uphold
take
glosses: To help keep from falling.
examples: text: I support France in the World Cup.
synonyms: adhere
antonyms: oppose
glosses: To back or favor a cause, party, etc., mentally or with concrete aid
examples: text: Mars does not currently support human habitation.
text: A grain, which in England is generally given to horſes, but which in Scotland ſupports the people.
ref: 1755 April 15, Samuel Johnson, “Oats”, in A Dictionary of the English Language: […], volume II (L–Z), London: […] J[ohn] and P[aul] Knapton; […], →OCLC, column 1:
glosses: To provide sustenance or maintenance for; to sustain in integrity or livelihood.
examples: text: The government supports the arts in several ways.
text: I said I shouldn’t support anything that deceives people.
ref: 2020 April 14, “Beaten into a Coma for My Faith, Recovered Without Medical Treatment”, in Minghui:
text: The NIAID supports projects at universities and research organizations around the United States as well as a network of 21 NIAID labs across the country.
ref: 2023 August 2, Ben Tinker, Meg Tirrell and Brenda Goodman, “New director named at National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases after Fauci’s retirement”, in CNN:
glosses: To help, particularly financially; to subsidize.
examples: text: The testimony is not sufficient to support the charges.
text: The evidence will not support the statements or allegations.
text: to urge such arguments, as though they were sufficient to support and demonstrate a whole scheme of moral philosophy
ref: 1754, Jonathan Edwards, The Freedom of the Will:
synonyms: attest
corroborate
establish
substantiate
sustain
verify
glosses: To provide evidence for; to lend credibility to.
examples: text: The IT Department supports the research organization, but not the sales force.
glosses: To serve, as in a customer-oriented position; to give support to.
examples: text: I support the administrative activities of the executive branch of the organization.
text: I don't make decisions, but I support those who do.
glosses: To assist or be involved with, but not be responsible for.
examples: text: Sure they sell the product, but do they support it?
glosses: To answer questions and resolve problems regarding something sold.
examples: text: Early personal computers did not support voice-recognition hardware or software.
synonyms: accommodate
enable
play#Verb
run#Verb
qualifier: programming languages
glosses: To be designed to provide capacity for; to work or be compatible with (a part, accessory, file type, program, algorithm, etc.).
raw_tags: said of electronic devices
examples: text: This fierce demeanour and his insolence / The patience of a god could not support.
ref: 1681, John Dryden, The Spanish Fryar: Or, the Double Discovery. […], London: […] Richard Tonson and Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, (please specify the page number):
text: For a strong affection such moments are worth supporting, and they will end well; for your advocate is in your lover's heart and speaks her own language[…]
ref: 1881, Robert Louis Stevenson, Virginibus Puerisque:
glosses: To endure without being overcome; bear; undergo; tolerate.
examples: text: to support the character of King Lear
text: And the award for best supporting actress goes to...
glosses: To play a lesser part in the same production with (a star performer).
Derived terms: supportable
supported
supportive