sustaining

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Verb

1. present participle of sustain#English|sustain

Noun

sustaining (plural sustainings)

1. The process by which something is sustained or upheld.

Adjective

sustaining

1. That sustains, supports or provides sustenance.
   • 1641, John Milton, Of Prelatical Episcopacy, London: Thomas Underhill, p. 24,

     […] eternall life, the end of all our wearisome labours, and all our sustaining hopes.

   • 1771, Elizabeth Griffith, The History of Lady Barton, London: T. Davies & T. Cadell, Volume 2, Letter 31, p. 21,

     I turned quick to look for him, and saw him coming towards me, with another gentleman—But I saw no more, my senses forsook me; in spite of Maria’s sustaining arm, I fell motionless on the ground.

   • 1850, Charles Dickens, David Copperfield, Chapter 58,

     Sometimes, I had proceeded restlessly from place to place, stopping nowhere; sometimes, I had lingered long in one spot. I had had no purpose, no sustaining soul within me, anywhere.

   • 1929, Josephine Tey, The Man in the Queue, New York: Pocket Book, 1977, Chapter 1, p. 5,

     They laughed and chattered, and passed each other sustaining bits of chocolate in torn silver paper.

   • 1988, Alan Hollinghurst, The Swimming Pool Library, New York: Vintage, 1989, Chapter 8,

     […] I was thirsty & went to sit in the shade of the tea-terrace. The tea, served impractically in a glass, was refreshing, somehow muddy & more sustaining than tea I am used to.

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