support
Pronunciation
  • (RP) IPA: /səˈpɔːt/, [səˈpʰɔːt]
  • (America) IPA: /səˈpɔɹt/, [səˈpʰɔɹt], [səˈpʰoɹt]
  • (rhotic, non-horse-hoarse) IPA: /səˈpo(ː)ɹt/
  • (non-rhotic, non-horse-hoarse) IPA: /səˈpoət/
Etymology 1

From Middle English supporten, from Old French supporter, from Latin supportō.

Verb

support (supports, present participle supporting; simple past and past participle supported)

  1. (transitive) To help keep from falling.
    Synonyms: bear, bestand, hold up, stut, undergird, underprop, upbear, upgird, uphold
    Don’t move that beam! It supports the whole platform.
    He staggered away from the accident site, supported by one friend on each side.
  2. (transitive) To back or favor a cause, party, etc., mentally or with concrete aid.
    Antonyms: oppose
    I support France in the World Cup.
  3. (transitive) To help, particularly financially; to subsidize.
    The government supports the arts in several ways.
  4. (transitive) To provide evidence for; to lend credibility to.
    Synonyms: attest, corroborate, establish, substantiate, sustain, verify
    The testimony is not sufficient to support the charges.
    The evidence will not support the statements or allegations.
    • 1754, Jonathan Edwards, The Freedom of the Will:
      to urge such arguments, as though they were sufficient to support and demonstrate a whole scheme of moral philosophy
  5. (transitive) To serve, as in a customer-oriented position; to give support to.
    The IT Department supports the research organization, but not the sales force.
  6. (transitive) To assist or be involved with, but not be responsible for.
    I support the administrative activities of the executive branch of the organization.
    I don't make decisions, but I support those who do.
  7. (transitive) To answer questions and resolve problems regarding something sold.
    Sure they sell the product, but do they support it?
  8. (transitive, said of electronic devices, programming languages, etc.) To be designed to provide capacity for; to work or be compatible with (a part, accessory, file type, program, algorithm, etc.).
    Synonyms: accommodate, enable, play#Verb, run#Verb
    Early personal computers did not support voice-recognition hardware or software.
  9. (transitive, archaic) To endure without being overcome; bear; undergo; tolerate.
    • 1681, John Dryden, The Spanish Fryar: Or, the Double Discovery. […], London: […] Richard Tonson and Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC ↗, (please specify the page number):
      This fierce demeanour and his insolence / The patience of a god could not support.
    • 1881, Robert Louis Stevenson, Virginibus Puerisque:
      For a strong affection such moments are worth supporting, and they will end well; for your advocate is in your lover's heart and speaks her own language […]
  10. (transitive) To play a lesser part in the same production with (a star performer).
    to support the character of King Lear
    And the award for best supporting actress goes to...
Conjugation Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations Etymology 2

From Middle English support, from Anglo-Norman - and Middle French support.

Noun

support

  1. (sometimes, attributive) Something which supports.
    Don't move that beam! It's a support for the whole platform.
  2. Financial or other help.
    The government provides support to the arts in several ways.
  3. Answers to questions and resolution of problems regarding something sold.
    Hyponyms: first-level support, second-level support, third-level support
    Sure they sell the product, but do they provide support?
  4. (mathematics) in relation to a function, the set of points where the function is not zero; the closure of that set.
    Antonyms: kernel
  5. (fuzzy set theory) A set whose elements are at least partially included in a given fuzzy set (i.e., whose grade of membership in that fuzzy set is strictly greater than zero).
    If the membership function of a fuzzy set is continuous, then that fuzzy set's support is an open set.
  6. (commutative algebra, of a module M over a commutative ring R) The set of all prime ideals of R such that the localization of M at the prime is nonzero, denoted \operatorname{Supp} M
  7. Evidence.
    The new research provides further support for our theory.
  8. (computing) Compatibility and functionality for a given product or feature.
    This game has no mouse support.
  9. An actor playing a subordinate part with a star.
  10. An accompaniment in music.
  11. (gymnastics) Clipping of support position
  12. (structural analysis) Horizontal, vertical or rotational support of structures: movable, hinged, fixed.
Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations


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