Definition

1. Noun:

   • Financial or material assistance: The provision of money, resources, or necessities to enable something to exist or function.
   • A structure that bears weight: A device, object, or part that holds something up or provides a foundation.
   • Encouragement or backing: Immaterial assistance such as approval, agreement, or loyalty given to a person, cause, or idea.
   • The act of sustaining: The action of bearing the weight of something or providing strength.
   • A musical accompaniment: A vocal or instrumental part that provides background for a main melody.
   • Verification: Evidence or documentation that validates a claim or argument.
   • Military reinforcement: An operation to strengthen a military force.

2. Verb:

   • To bear the weight of; hold up: To serve as a foundation or structure that prevents something from falling.
   • To provide assistance or backing: To give financial, material, moral, or psychological help.
   • To endure or tolerate: To put up with something unpleasant.
   • To substantiate or corroborate: To provide evidence or arguments that confirm the truth or validity of something.
   • To be a regular customer or patron of: To frequent a business or service.
   • To advocate for; defend: To speak or argue in favor of a person, idea, or action.
   • To play a secondary role to: In performing arts, to act in a subordinate role that enhances another performer.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • The charity provides financial support to families in need.
  • The bridge collapsed because its main support failed.
  • The policy has widespread public support.
  • She leaned on her friend for emotional support during the crisis.

• Verb:

  • These columns support the entire roof.
  • He supports his children through college.
  • I cannot support his rude behavior any longer.
  • The data supports the scientist's hypothesis.
  • We support our local bookstore by shopping there.
  • She supported her colleague's proposal during the meeting.
  • The veteran actor supported the young lead brilliantly.

Advanced Usage

• "in support of": For the purpose of helping, defending, or approving of something.
  • He spoke in support of the new environmental regulations.
• "moral support": Encouragement and sympathy, rather than physical or financial help.
  • My friends came to the competition just to give me moral support.
• "to lend support to": To add credibility or backing to an idea or argument.
  • The recent discovery lends support to the theory.

Variants and Related Words

• Supporter (n): A person who approves of and encourages someone or something.
  • He is a strong supporter of the arts.
• Supportive (adj): Providing encouragement or emotional help.
  • She has a very supportive family.
• Supportable (adj): Able to be endured or tolerated.
  • The pain was barely supportable.
• Unsupported (adj): Not supported; lacking proof or corroboration.
  • His claims were unsupported by any evidence.

Synonyms

• Noun: Backing, aid, assistance, foundation, pillar, prop, sustenance.
• Verb: Sustain, uphold, back, endorse, finance, fund, bear, tolerate, corroborate.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Support with: To provide a specific type of help.
  • Can you support your argument with more facts?
• Back up: To support someone's statement or claim; to provide assistance.
  • Her theory is backed up by solid research. (Note: 'Back up' is a phrasal verb with a meaning similar to 'support'.)

Related Idioms

• To support a habit: To financially enable an expensive, often addictive, activity.
  • He works two jobs to support his gambling habit.
• A tower of strength/support: Someone who provides very strong and reliable support, especially in difficult times.
  • My sister was a tower of strength after the accident.

Noun

1. financial resources provided to make some project possible
   • the foundation provided support for the experiment
2. any device that bears the weight of another thing
   • there was no place to attach supports for a shelf
3. a musical part (vocal or instrumental) that supports or provides background for other musical parts
4. the act of bearing the weight of or strengthening
   • he leaned against the wall for support
5. supporting structure that holds up or provides a foundation
   • the statue stood on a marble support
6. the financial means whereby one lives
   • each child was expected to pay for their keep
   • he applied to the state for support
   • he could no longer earn his own livelihood
7. documentary validation
   • his documentation of the results was excellent
   • the strongest support for this view is the work of Jones
8. a military operation (often involving new supplies of men and materiel) to strengthen a military force or aid in the performance of its mission
   • they called for artillery support
9. something providing immaterial assistance to a person or cause or interest
   • the policy found little public support
   • his faith was all the support he needed
   • the team enjoyed the support of their fans
10. aiding the cause or policy or interests of
    • the president no longer has the support of his own party
    • they developed a scheme of mutual support
11. the activity of providing for or maintaining by supplying with money or necessities
    • his support kept the family together
    • they gave him emotional support during difficult times

Verb

1. put up with something or somebody unpleasant
   • I cannot bear his constant criticism
   • The new secretary had to endure a lot of unprofessional remarks
   • he learned to tolerate the heat
   • She stuck out two years in a miserable marriage
2. be a regular customer or client of
   • We patronize this store
   • Our sponsor kept our art studio going for as long as he could
3. play a subordinate role to (another performer)
   • Olivier supported Gielgud beautifully in the second act
4. argue or speak in defense of
   • She supported the motion to strike
5. support with evidence or authority or make more certain or confirm
   • The stories and claims were born out by the evidence
6. adopt as a belief
   • I subscribe to your view on abortion
7. establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts
   • his story confirmed my doubts
   • The evidence supports the defendant
8. be the physical support of; carry the weight of
   • The beam holds up the roof
   • He supported me with one hand while I balanced on the beam
   • What's holding that mirror?
9. be behind; approve of
   • He plumped for the Labor Party
   • I backed Kennedy in 1960
10. support materially or financially
    • he does not support his natural children
    • The scholarship supported me when I was in college
11. give moral or psychological support, aid, or courage to
    • She supported him during the illness
    • Her children always backed her up