The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Support \Sup*port"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Supported; p. pr. &
vb. n. Supporting.] [F. supporter, L. supportare to carry
on, to convey, in LL., to support, sustain; sub under +
portare to carry. See Port demeanor.]
1. To bear by being under; to keep from falling; to uphold;
to sustain, in a literal or physical sense; to prop up; to
bear the weight of; as, a pillar supports a structure; an
abutment supports an arch; the trunk of a tree supports
the branches.
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2. To endure without being overcome, exhausted, or changed in
character; to sustain; as, to support pain, distress, or
misfortunes.
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This fierce demeanor and his insolence
The patience of a god could not support. --Dryden.
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3. To keep from failing or sinking; to solace under affictive
circumstances; to assist; to encourage; to defend; as, to
support the courage or spirits.
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4. To assume and carry successfully, as the part of an actor;
to represent or act; to sustain; as, to support the
character of King Lear.
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5. To furnish with the means of sustenance or livelihood; to
maintain; to provide for; as, to support a family; to
support the ministers of the gospel.
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6. To carry on; to enable to continue; to maintain; as, to
support a war or a contest; to support an argument or a
debate.
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7. To verify; to make good; to substantiate; to establish; to
sustain; as, the testimony is not sufficient to support
the charges; the evidence will not support the statements
or allegations.
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To urge such arguments, as though they were
sufficient to support and demonstrate a whole scheme
of moral philosophy. --J. Edwards.
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8. To vindicate; to maintain; to defend successfully; as, to
be able to support one's own cause.
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9. To uphold by aid or countenance; to aid; to help; to back
up; as, to support a friend or a party; to support the
present administration.
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Wherefore, bold pleasant,
Darest thou support a published traitor? --Shak.
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10. A attend as an honorary assistant; as, a chairman
supported by a vice chairman; O'Connell left the prison,
supported by his two sons.
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Support arms (Mil.), a command in the manual of arms in
responce to which the piece is held vertically at the
shoulder, with the hammer resting on the left forearm,
which is passed horizontally across the body in front;
also, the position assumed in response to this command.
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Syn: To maintain; endure; verify; substantiate; countenance;
patronize; help; back; second; succor; relieve; uphold;
encourage; favor; nurture; nourish; cherish; shield;
defend; protect; stay; assist; forward.
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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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Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
601 Moby Thesaurus words for "support":
A-frame, Maecenas, OK, TLC, abettor, abide, abide with, accept,
acceptance, accession, accommodate, accredit, acquiescence,
act a part, act out, admirer, advance, advocate, affirm,
affirmation, afford, afford hope, afford support, aficionado,
agreement, agreement in principle, aid, aid and comfort, aliment,
alimentation, alimony, allege in support, allotment, allowance,
alpenstock, amen, angel, annuity, answer, anvil, apologist,
applaud, approve, argue for, arm, assent, assentation, assert,
assist, assistance, assurance, assure, athletic supporter,
attend to, attest, attestation, augur well, authenticate,
authentication, authorize, autograph, auxiliaries, baby-sit, back,
back rest, back up, backbone, backer, backing, backing up,
backstop, backup, bandage, bandeau, bankroll, base, beam, bear,
bear out, bear up, bear with, bearer, bearing out, beef up,
benefit, bid fair, bide, bit player, block, blow to, bolster,
bolster up, bolstering, boost, bounty, bra, brace, brace up,
bracer, bracket, brassiere, brave, bread, brook, buck up, buff,
buoy up, buttress, buttressing, cane, capitalization, capitalize,
care, care for, carrier, carry, case harden, certification,
certify, cervix, champion, chaperon, cheer, cherish,
circumstantiate, circumstantiation, clothe, column, comfort,
commend, compliance, concurrence, condolence, confirm,
confirmation, consent, conservancy, conservation, conservationism,
conserve, consolation, contend for, contribute, copyright,
corroborate, corroboration, corroboratory evidence, corset, cosign,
countenance, counter, countersign, cradle, create a role, crook,
crosstree, crutch, cry up, cue rest, cushion, daily bread, defend,
defender, deficit financing, dependence, depict,
depletion allowance, document, documentation, dole, donate, ease,
easel, easement, economic support, elect, embolden, enact,
encourage, encouragement, encourager, endorse, endorser, endow,
endowment, endure, environmental conservation, espouse, exponent,
extra, face, fan, favor, favorer, fellowship, figurant, figurante,
fill, fill up, finance, finances, financial assistance,
financial backing, financial support, financing, find,
forest conservation, forest management, fortification, fortify,
fortifying, forward, foster, foundation, foundation garment, frame,
friend at court, fulcrum, fund, funding, furnish,
general agreement, gird, girdle, give, give hope, give permission,
give support, give the go-ahead, give the imprimatur,
give thumbs up, go, go treat, good offices, grant, grant-in-aid,
grubstake, guaranteed annual income, guard, guy, guywire, hand,
hang in, hang in there, hang tough, harden, have good prospects,
hearten, hearty assent, heel, help, hob, hod, hold, hold out hope,
hold out promise, hold up, hype, impersonate, initial, inspire,
inspire hope, inspirit, invest, invigorate, jack, jock, jockstrap,
justify hope, keep, keep afloat, keep alive, keep intact,
keep inviolate, keep safe, keep up, keep watch over, keeping, lap,
lend support, lift, livelihood, living, look after, look out for,
look to, lover, lump, lump it, mainstay, maintain, maintainer,
maintenance, make a plea, make available, make fair promise,
make provision for, manna, mast, matronize, maulstick, meat, mind,
minister to, ministration, ministry, mother, mothering,
music stand, mute, neck, nerve, nominate, not destroy,
not endanger, not expend, not use up, not waste, notarize,
nourishment, nurse, nurture, nutriment, office, offices,
old-age insurance, pabulum, pap, paranymph, partisan, pass,
pass on, pass upon, patent, patron, patronization, patronize,
pay for, pay the bill, pay the bills, paying the bills,
pecuniary aid, pension, pension off, permit, persevere, personate,
pillar, pillow, play a part, play a role, play opposite, plead for,
plug, portray, prepare, present, preserval, preservation, preserve,
price support, probate, promise, promote, promoter, proof, prop,
prop up, protagonist, protect, protection, protege, prove, provide,
provide for, proving, proving out, provision, provision of capital,
public assistance, public welfare, puff, pull, put up with,
raise expectations, raise hope, raker, ratification, ratify,
ratline, reassurance, reassure, rebut, recommend, recruit,
refection, refinance, refresh, refreshment, refute, register,
reinforce, reinforcement, reinforcements, reinforcer, reinvigorate,
reliance, relief, remedy, replenish, reply, represent, rescue,
reserve forces, reserves, respond, rest, resting place,
restrengthen, retirement benefits, rib, ride herd on, rigging,
riposte, rubber stamp, safekeeping, salt, salvage, salvation,
sanction, save, saving, say amen to, say in defense, scholarship,
scissors truss, seal, second, seconder, sectary, see after, see to,
service, set up, shepherd, shoe, shore, shore up, shoring,
shoulder, shred of comfort, shroud, side with, sider, sign,
sign and seal, skid, soil conservation, solace, solacement, sole,
spare, spare the price, speak for, speak highly of, speak up for,
speak warmly of, speak well of, spear-carrier, spine, splint,
sponsor, sponsorship, sprit, staff, stake, stalwart, stand,
stand by, stand drinks, stand for, stand to, stand treat,
stand up for, stand-in, standby, standing rigging, standing treat,
stave, stay, steel, stick, stick up for, stiffen, stiffener,
stilts, stipend, stirrup, stock, stomach, store,
stream conservation, strengthen, strengthener, strengthening,
strut, submit to, subscribe to, subsidization, subsidize, subsidy,
subsistence, substantiate, substantiation, substitute,
substructure, subvention, subventionize, succor, suffer, supe,
super, supernumerary, supply, supporter, supporting actor,
supporting cast, supporting evidence, sustain, sustain a part,
sustainer, sustainment, sustenance, sustentation, swallow,
swear and affirm, swear to, sympathizer, sympathy, take,
take a part, take care of, take charge of, tax benefit, temper,
tend, tender loving care, therapy, tolerate, toughen, tout, treat,
treat to, tripod, trivet, truss, underbrace, undergird,
undergirding, undergo, underlie, underpin, underpinning, underset,
undersign, understudy, underwrite, upbear, uphold, upholder,
upkeep, urge reasons for, validate, validation, verification,
verify, visa, vise, votary, vote, vouch for, walk-on,
walking gentleman, walking stick, warm assent, warrant, watch,
watch out for, watch over, water conservation, weather, welcome,
welfare, welfare aid, welfare payments, well afford, well-wisher,
wetlands conservation, wildlife conservation, withstand, yield
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):
SUPPORT. The right of support is an easement which one man, either by
contract or prescription, enjoys, to rest the joists or timbers of his house
upon the wall of an adjoining building, owned by another person. 3 Kent,
Com. 435. Vide Lois des Bat. part. 1, c. 3, s. a. 1, Sec. T; Party wall.