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Sustain
Definitions
- 1 A mechanism which can be used to hold a note, as the right pedal on a piano.
"To call this music bland is to ignore the down-the-drain vocal fade-aways, the extended sax sustains […]"
- 1 To maintain, or keep in existence. transitive
"The professor had trouble sustaining students’ interest until the end of her lectures."
- 2 undergo (as of injuries and illnesses) wordnet
- 3 To provide for or nourish. transitive
"provisions to sustain an army"
- 4 establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts wordnet
- 5 To encourage or sanction (something). transitive
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- 6 admit as valid wordnet
- 7 To experience or suffer (an injury, etc.). transitive
"The building sustained major damage in the earthquake."
- 8 supply with necessities and support wordnet
- 9 To confirm, prove, or corroborate; to uphold. transitive
"to sustain a charge, an accusation, or a proposition"
- 10 provide with nourishment wordnet
- 11 To allow, accept, or admit (e.g. an objection or motion) as valid.
- 12 be the physical support of; carry the weight of wordnet
- 13 To keep from falling; to bear; to uphold; to support.
"A foundation sustains the superstructure; an animal sustains a load; a rope sustains a weight."
- 14 lengthen or extend in duration or space wordnet
- 15 To aid, comfort, or relieve; to vindicate.
"When I desir’d their leave that I might pity him, they took from me the use of mine own house, charg’d me on pain of perpetual displeasure neither to speak of him, entreat for him, nor any way sustain him."
Etymology
From Middle English susteinen, sustenen, from Old French sustenir (French soutenir), from Latin sustineō, sustinēre (“to uphold”), from sub- (“from below, up”) + teneō (“hold”, verb).
From Middle English susteinen, sustenen, from Old French sustenir (French soutenir), from Latin sustineō, sustinēre (“to uphold”), from sub- (“from below, up”) + teneō (“hold”, verb).
See also for "sustain"
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