from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Support \Sup*port"\, n. [F.]
1. The act, state, or operation of supporting, upholding, or
sustaining.
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2. That which upholds, sustains, or keeps from falling, as a
prop, a pillar, or a foundation of any kind.
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3. That which maintains or preserves from being overcome,
falling, yielding, sinking, giving way, or the like;
subsistence; maintenance; assistance; reenforcement; as,
he gave his family a good support, the support of national
credit; the assaulting column had the support of a
battery.
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{Points of support} (Arch.), the horizontal area of the
solids of a building, walls, piers, and the like, as
compared with the open or vacant spaces.
{Right of support} (Law), an easement or servitude by which
the owner of a house has a right to rest his timber on the
walls of his neighbor's house. --Kent.
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Syn: Stay; prop; maintenance; subsistence; assistance; favor;
countenance; encouragement; patronage; aid; help;
succor; nutriment; sustenance; food.
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