Part 994

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.

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.

Sup*port"ance (?), n. Support. [Obs.] Shak.

Sup`por*ta"tion (?), n. Maintenance; support. [Obs.] Chaucer. Bacon.

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.

Sup*port"ful (?), a. Abounding with support. [Obs.] Chapman.

Sup*port"less, a. Having no support. Milton.

Sup*port"ment (?), n. Support. [Obs.] Sir H. Wotton.

Sup*port"ress (?), n. A female supporter. [R.]

You are my gracious patroness and supportress.

Massinger.

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.

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.

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.] 1. To represent to one's self, or state to another, not as true or real, but as if so, and with a view to some consequence or application which the reality would involve or admit of; to imagine or admit to exist, for the sake of argument or illustration; to assume to be true; as, let us suppose the earth to be the center of the system, what would be the result?

Suppose they take offence without a cause.

Shak.