1. (v. t.) To keep from falling; to bear; to uphold; to support; as, a foundation sustains the superstructure; a beast sustains a load; a rope sustains a weight.

2. (v. t.) Hence, to keep from sinking, as in despondence, or the like; to support.

3. (v. t.) To maintain; to keep alive; to support; to subsist; to nourish; as, provisions to sustain an army.

4. (v. t.) To aid, comfort, or relieve; to vindicate.

5. (v. t.) To endure without failing or yielding; to bear up under; as, to sustain defeat and disappointment.

6. (v. t.) To suffer; to bear; to undergo.

7. (v. t.) To allow the prosecution of; to admit as valid; to sanction; to continue; not to dismiss or abate; as, the court sustained the action or suit.

8. (v. t.) To prove; to establish by evidence; to corroborate or confirm; to be conclusive of; as, to sustain a charge, an accusation, or a proposition.

9. (n.) One who, or that which, upholds or sustains; a sustainer.

abide abide with admit advocate affirm afford support allege in support allow answer approve argue for assert attest authenticate authorize back back up be exposed to be subjected to bear bear out bear up bear up under bear with beef up befriend bide board bolster bolster up brace brace up brave bread brook buoy buoy up buttress care for carry carry on case harden certify champion cherish circumstantiate coddle confirm conserve contend for continue continue to be copyright corroborate cosset counter cradle crutch cultivate cushion defeat time defend defy time digest dine document dry-nurse dwell encounter endorse endure espouse exist experience extend favor feed feel finance float float high fodder fondle forage fortify foster fund gird give support go go on go through grass gratify graze guard hang in hang in there hang tough harden have hold hold on hold out hold up invigorate keep keep afloat keep alive keep going keep intact keep inviolate keep on keep safe keep up know labor under last last long last out lavish care on lend support lengthen live live on live through lug lump lump it mainstay maintain make a plea meat meet meet up with meet with mess mother nerve not destroy not endanger not expend not use up not waste nourish nurse nurture nutrify pack pamper pass through pasture patent pay perdure perennate perpetuate persevere persist persist in pillow plead for preserve prevail probate prolong prop prop up protect protract prove provision put up with ratify rebut recognize refresh refute regale register reinforce reinvigorate remain reply respond restrengthen retain ride high riposte run run on run up against sanction satisfy save say in defense see shore shore up shoulder spare speak for speak up for spend spoon-feed stand stand by stand for stand under stand up for stay stay on steel stick stick up for stiffen stomach strengthen subsidize subsist substantiate subvention subventionize suckle suffer support survive take up with tarry taste temper tide over tolerate tote toughen underbrace undergird undergo underlie underpin underset upbear uphold upkeep uplift upraise urge reasons for validate verify waft warrant wear wear well weather