support

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

Maintenance

Nouns

1. (financial support) support, maintenance, upkeep, sustenance. See aid.

2. (foundation) ground, foundation, groundwork, substratum, base, basis; terra firma; purchase, grip, footing, hold, foothold, toehold, handhold; landing, landing stage, landing place; stage, platform; block; rest, resting place, basement, supporter, prop, stand; anvil, bearing; fulcrum, rowlock, oarlock; stay, shore, skid, rib, lap; bar, rod, boom, sprit, outrigger. See stability.

3. (walking support) staff, stick, crutch, alpenstock, baton, walking stick; handle, heft.

4. (postlike support) post, pillar, shaft, column, pilaster, stud, sash, pier, atlas, atlantes (pl.), caryatid; pediment, pedicle, stalk; prop; pedestal; plinth, shank, leg, foot; [flying] buttress, jamb, mullion, abutment; baluster, banister, stanchion; balustrade, railing; bracket.

5. (supporting framework) frame, framework, gantry, trellis; scaffold[ing], skeleton, beam, rafter, girder, lintel, joist, travis, trave, cornerstone, summer, transom; spoke, rung, round, step, sill, tholepin.

6. (central support) backbone; keystone; axle[tree]; axis; arch, mainstay.

7. (supporting ledge) board, ledge, shelf, hob, bracket, trevet, trivet, arbor, rack; mantel, mantelpiece; mantelshelf; slab, console; counter, dresser; seat, saddle, pommel, cantle; flange, corbel; table, trestle; shoulder; perch; stand, [saw]horse; easel, desk; box spring. See furniture.

8. brassière, corset, support hose (see clothing).

9. Atlas, Persides, Hercules.

Verbs

1. lie, sit, recline, lean, loll, rest, stand, step, repose about, bear or be based on; have at one's back.

2. support, bear, carry, hold (up), sustain, shoulder; hold, back, bolster, shore up, buttress; uphold, prop; underpin; bandage, tape, brace.

3. found, base, ground, imbed, embed.

4. maintain, keep on foot.

Adjectives — supporting, supported, braced, propped, bolstered; founded, based, basic, grounded, built on; fundamental, bottom, undermost; pickaback, piggyback.

Adverbs — astride, astraddle.

Antonyms, see pendency.

II

(Roget's IV) n.

1. [Aid]

Syn. help, assistance, comfort; see aid 1 .

2. [A reinforcement]

Syn. lining, concrete block, rib, stilt, stay, shore, supporter, buttress, pole, post, underpinning, Dependence, prop, guide, backing, stiffener, flotation, collar, rampart, abutment, stave, stake, rod, pillar, column, timber; see also brace 1 .

3. [Financial aid]

Syn. maintenance, living, provision, livelihood, subsidy, subsistence, upkeep, care, relief, allowance, sustenance, alimentation, alimony, responsibility for; see also payment 1 .

4. [One who provides support]

Syn. backer, provider, second, preserver; see patron 1 , supporter .

• in support of,

Syn. approving, condoning, in favor of, in defense of; see supporting .

v.

1. [To hold up from beneath]

Syn. prop, hold up, keep up, bolster up, shore up, bear up, bolster, buttress, brace, sustain, shore, stay, mainstay, underpin, undergird, keep from falling, shoulder, carry, bear, be a foundation for.

Ant. drop*, let fall, break down.

2. [To uphold]

Syn. uphold, maintain, sustain, back, back up, abet, aid, assist, help, bolster, stay, comfort, carry, bear out, hold, foster, shoulder, corroborate, cheer, establish, buoy, put forward, promote, advance, champion, advocate, countenance, approve, throw in with, stick by, stand behind, cast in on, substantiate, lot with, verify, get back of, stick up for, go to bat for*, confirm, further, encourage, hearten, strengthen, second, preserve, recommend, take care of, stand in with, pull for, agree with, stand up for, keep up, stand back of, take the part of, rally round, give a lift to*, boost*.

Ant. hinder*, discourage, deter.

3. [To defend]

Syn. second, stand by, plead for; see defend 3 .

4. [To continue]

Syn. carry on, keep up, maintain; see continue 1 .

5. [To provide for]

Syn. take care of, keep an eye on, care for, attend to, look after, back, bring up, sponsor, underwrite, put up the money for, set up in business, finance, pay for, subsidize, guard, chaperon, nurse, pay the expenses of, grubstake*, stake*, bank-roll*, raise*, bring home the bacon*, earn one's keep*; see also sustain 2 .

Ant. abandon*, ignore, fail.

Syn.- support , the broadest of these terms, suggests a favoring of someone or something, either by giving active aid or merely by approving or sanctioning [ to support a candidate for office ] ; uphold suggests that what is being supported is under attack [ to uphold civil rights for all ] ; sustain implies full active support so as to strengthen or keep from failing [sustained by his hope for the future ] ; maintain suggests a supporting so as to keep intact or unimpaired [ to maintain the law, a family, etc. ] ; advocate implies support in speech or writing and sometimes connotes persuasion or argument [ to advocate a change in policy ] ; back (often back up ) suggests support, as financial aid or moral encouragement, given to prevent failure [ I'll back you up in your demands ]

III

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus)

I

n.

1. brace foundation, buttress, prop, underpinning, substructure, bed, joist, beam, girder, stanchion, stay.

2. backing help, aid, assistance, hand, lift, encouragement, advocacy, approval, promotion, comfort.

3. subsistence living, sustenance, livelihood, upkeep, provisions, necessities, food, money, child support, alimony.

II

v.

1. hold up brace, buttress, prop, shoulder, carry, bear, bolster, sustain, shore up.

2. back help, aid, assist, give a hand, give a lift, sustain, comfort, encourage, bolster, foster, advocate, approve, promote, endorse, subscribe.

3. provide for maintain, pay one s way, finance, bankroll, subsidize, underwrite, *pick up the tab.

4. corroborate verify, substantiate, confirm, attest, validate, authenticate.

IV

(Roget's Thesaurus II) I verb 1. To sustain the weight of: bear, carry, hold, uphold. See SUPPORT. 2. To hold up: bear, carry, sustain. See OVER. 3. To keep from yielding or failing during stress or difficulty: bolster, buoy (up), prop, sustain, uphold. See HELP. 4. To supply with the necessities of life: keep, maintain, provide for. Idiom: take care of. See CARE FOR. 5. To aid the cause of by approving or favoring: advocate, back, champion, endorse, get behind, plump for, recommend, side with, stand behind, stand by, uphold. Idioms: align oneself with, go to bat for, take the part of. See SUPPORT. 6. To act as a patron to: patronize, sponsor. See HELP. 7. To put up with: abide, accept, bear, brook2, endure, go, stand (for), stomach, suffer, sustain, swallow, take, tolerate, withstand. Informal: lump2. Idioms: take it, take it lying down. See ACCEPT. II noun 1. The act or an instance of helping: abetment, aid, assist, assistance, hand, help, relief, succor. See HELP. 2. An indication of commendation or approval: backing, endorsement, recommendation. See SUPPORT. 3. A means or device that keeps something erect, stable, or secure: brace, buttress, crutch, prop, shorej stay2, underpinning. See SUPPORT. 4. The means needed to support life: alimentation, alimony, bread, bread and butter, keep, livelihood, living, maintenance, subsistence, sustenance, upkeep. See MONEY.