mainstay
from
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
mainstay
n 1: a prominent supporter; "he is a pillar of the community"
[syn: {pillar}, {mainstay}]
2: a central cohesive source of support and stability; "faith is
his anchor"; "the keystone of campaign reform was the ban on
soft money"; "he is the linchpin of this firm" [syn:
{anchor}, {mainstay}, {keystone}, {backbone}, {linchpin},
{lynchpin}]
3: the forestay that braces the mainmast
from
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
124 Moby Thesaurus words for "mainstay":
Maecenas, abettor, admirer, advocate, afford support, aficionado,
alpenstock, angel, apologist, arm, athletic supporter, back,
back up, backbone, backer, backing, bandeau, bear, bear up, bearer,
bolster, bolster up, bra, brace, bracer, bracket, brassiere, buff,
bulwark, buoy up, buttress, cane, carrier, carry, cervix, champion,
corset, cradle, crook, crutch, cushion, defender, dependence,
encourager, endorser, exponent, fan, favorer, foundation garment,
friend at court, fulcrum, girdle, give support, guy, guywire, hold,
hold up, jock, jockstrap, keep afloat, keep up, lend support,
lover, main strength, maintain, maintainer, mast, neck, paranymph,
partisan, patron, pillar, pillow, promoter, prop, protagonist,
reinforce, reinforcement, reinforcer, reliance, rest,
resting place, rigging, second, seconder, sectary, sheet anchor,
shore, shore up, shoulder, shroud, sider, sinews, spine, sponsor,
sprit, staff, stalwart, standby, standing rigging, stave, stay,
stick, stiffener, strengthener, subsidize, subvention, support,
supporter, sustain, sustainer, sympathizer, underbrace, undergird,
underlie, underpin, underset, upbear, uphold, upholder, upkeep,
votary, walking stick, well-wisher
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