Dictionary 1. (v. t.) To support, hold up, or maintain with difficulty or unusual effort\; -- often with up.2. (n.) A pad, quilt, or anything used to hinder pressure, support any part of the body, or make a bandage sit easy upon a wounded part; a compress. 3. (n.) Anything arranged to act as a support, as in various forms of mechanism, etc. 4. (n.) A cushioned or a piece part of a saddle. 5. (n.) A cushioned or a piece of soft wood covered with tarred canvas, placed on the trestletrees and against the mast, for the collars of the shrouds to rest on, to prevent chafing. 6. (n.) Anything used to prevent chafing. 7. (n.) A plate of iron or a mass of wood under the end of a bridge girder, to keep the girder from resting directly on the abutment. 8. (n.) A transverse bar above the axle of a wagon, on which the bed or body rests. 9. (n.) The crossbeam forming the bearing piece of the body of a railway car; the central and principal cross beam of a car truck. 10. (n.) the perforated plate in a punching machine on which anything rests when being punched. 11. (n.) That part of a knife blade which abuts upon the end of the handle. 12. (n.) The metallic end of a pocketknife handle. 13. (n.) The rolls forming the ends or sides of the Ionic capital. 14. (n.) A block of wood on the carriage of a siege gun, upon which the breech of the gun rests when arranged for transportation. 15. (v. t.) To support with a bolster or pillow. Thesaurus advance affirm afford support aid air mattress assist assure attest authenticate back back up bear bear out bear up bedding bolster up brace brace up buck up buoy up buttress carry certify cheer circumstantiate confirm corroborate cradle crutch cushion document embolden encourage finance fortify fund further give support hearten help hold hold up innerspring mattress inspire inspirit keep keep afloat keep up lend support litter mainstay maintain mat mattress nerve pad pallet pillow probate prop prop up prove ratify reassure reinforce rug shore shore up shoulder sleeping bag springs stay strengthen subsidize substantiate subvention subventionize support sustain underbed underbedding underbrace undergird underlie underpin underset upbear uphold upkeep validate verify warrant |