Buttress

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Buttress \But"tress\, n. [OE. butrasse, boterace, fr. F. bouter
     to push; cf. OF. bouteret (nom. sing. and acc. pl. bouterez)
     buttress. See {Butt} an end, and cf. {Butteris}.]
     1. (Arch.) A projecting mass of masonry, used for resisting
        the thrust of an arch, or for ornament and symmetry.
        [1913 Webster]


  
     Note: When an external projection is used merely to stiffen a
           wall, it is a pier.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Anything which supports or strengthens. "The ground pillar
        and buttress of the good old cause of nonconformity."
        --South.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Flying buttress}. See {Flying buttress}.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Buttress \But"tress\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Buttressed} (?); p.
     pr. & vb. n. {Buttressing}.]
     To support with a buttress; to prop; to brace firmly.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           To set it upright again, and to prop and buttress it up
           for duration.                            --Burke.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  buttress
       n : a support usually of stone or brick; supports the wall of a
           building [syn: {buttressing}]
       v 1: reinforce with a buttress; "Buttress the church"
       2: make stronger or defensible; "buttress your thesis"

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  144 Moby Thesaurus words for "buttress":
     abutment, advocate, affirm, afford support, alpenstock,
     arc-boutant, arm, athletic supporter, attest, authenticate, back,
     back up, backbone, backing, bandeau, bank, beam, bear, bear out,
     bear up, bearer, beef up, bolster, bolster up, bra, brace,
     brace up, bracer, bracket, brassiere, breakwater, bulwark, buoy up,
     buttress pier, buttressing, cane, carrier, carry, case harden,
     certify, cervix, circumstantiate, column, confirm, corroborate,
     corset, cradle, crook, crutch, cushion, document, embankment,
     finance, flying buttress, fortify, foundation garment, fulcrum,
     fund, gird, girdle, give support, groin, guy, guywire,
     hanging buttress, harden, hold, hold up, invigorate, jetty, jock,
     jockstrap, jutty, keep, keep afloat, keep up, lend support,
     mainstay, maintain, maintainer, mast, mole, neck, nerve, pier,
     pier buttress, pillow, probate, prop, prop up, prove, rampart,
     ratify, refresh, reinforce, reinforcement, reinforcer,
     reinvigorate, rest, resting place, restrengthen, retaining wall,
     rigging, seawall, shore, shore up, shoulder, shroud, spine, sprit,
     staff, standing rigging, stave, stay, steel, stick, stiffen,
     stiffener, strengthen, strengthener, subsidize, substantiate,
     subvention, subventionize, support, supporter, sustain, sustainer,
     temper, toughen, underbrace, undergird, underlie, underpin,
     underpinning, underset, upbear, uphold, upholder, upkeep, validate,
     verify, walking stick, warrant