3. That which maintains or preserves from being overcome, falling, yielding, sinking, giving way, or the
like; subsistence; maintenance; assistance; reënforcement; as, he gave his family a good support, the support
of national credit; the assaulting column had the support of a battery.
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.
Syn. — Stay; prop; maintenance; subsistence; assistance; favor; countenance; encouragement; patronage; aid; help; succor; nutriment; sustenance; food.
Supportable
(Sup*port"a*ble) a. [Cf. F. supportable.] Capable of being supported, maintained, or
endured; endurable. — Sup*port"a*ble*ness, n. — Sup*port"a*bly, adv.
Supportance
(Sup*port"ance) n. Support. [Obs.] Shak.
Supportation
(Sup`por*ta"tion) n. Maintenance; support. [Obs.] Chaucer. Bacon.
Supporter
(Sup*port"er) n.
1. One who, or that which, supports; as, oxygen is a supporter of life.
The sockets and supporters of flowers are figured.
Bacon.
The saints have a . . . supporter in all their miseries.
South. 2. Especially, an adherent; one who sustains, advocates, and defends; as, the supporter of a party, faction,
or candidate.
3. (Shipbuilding) A knee placed under the cathead.
4. (Her.) A figure, sometimes of a man, but commonly of some animal, placed on either side of an
escutcheon, and exterior to it. Usually, both supporters of an escutcheon are similar figures.
5. (Med.) A broad band or truss for supporting the abdomen or some other part or organ.
Supportful
(Sup*port"ful) a. Abounding with support. [Obs.] Chapman.
Supportless
(Sup*port"less), a. Having no support. Milton.
Supportment
(Sup*port"ment) n. Support. [Obs.] Sir H. Wotton.
Supportress
(Sup*port"ress) n. A female supporter. [R.]
You are my gracious patroness and supportress.
Massinger. Supposable
(Sup*pos"a*ble) a. Capable of being supposed, or imagined to exist; as, that is not a supposable
case. — Sup*pos"a*ble*ness, n. — Sup*pos"a*bly, adv.
Supposal
(Sup*pos"al) n. The act of supposing; also, that which is supposed; supposition; opinion. Shak.
Interest, with a Jew, never proceeds but upon supposal, at least, of a firm and sufficient bottom.
South. Suppose
(Sup*pose") v. t. [imp. & p. p. Supposed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Supposing.] [F. supposer; pref.
sub- under + poser to place; — corresponding in meaning to L. supponere, suppositum, to put under,
to substitute, falsify, counterfeit. See Pose.]