Sentence:  This time was most dreadful for Lilian. Thrown on her own resources and almost penniless, she <WSD>maintained</WSD> herself and paid the rent of a wretched room near the hospital by working as a charwoman, sempstress, anything. In a moment she had dropped to the level of a casual labourer. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  To keep up; to preserve; to uphold (a state, condition etc.). (from 14thc.)