support

verb

1. (transitive)To help keep from falling.

   “Don’t move that beam! It supports the whole platform.”

   “He staggered away from the accident site, supported by one friend on each side.”

   “There is a soft-mat seat (which originally had a palm fiber underwebbing) supported by three curved transverse braces.”

   “One of the keys to glassing effectively is supporting your binoculars. Advanced glassers who scan lots of country for long periods of time, or who use binoculars of 10X power or more, often use a lightweight camera tripod […]”

2. (transitive)To back or favor a cause, party, etc., mentally or with concrete aid

   “I support France in the World Cup.”

3. (transitive)To provide sustenance or maintenance for; to sustain in integrity or livelihood.

   “Mars does not currently support human habitation.”

   “A grain, which in England is generally given to horſes, but which in Scotland ſupports the people.”

4. (transitive)To help, particularly financially; to subsidize.

   “The government supports the arts in several ways.”

   “I said I shouldn’t support anything that deceives people.”

   “The NIAID supports projects at universities and research organizations around the United States as well as a network of 21 NIAID labs across the country.”

5. (transitive)To provide evidence for; to lend credibility to.

   “The testimony is not sufficient to support the charges.”

   “The evidence will not support the statements or allegations.”

   “to urge such arguments, as though they were sufficient to support and demonstrate a whole scheme of moral philosophy”

6. (transitive)To serve, as in a customer-oriented position; to give support to.

   “The IT Department supports the research organization, but not the sales force.”

7. (transitive)To assist or be involved with, but not be responsible for.

   “I support the administrative activities of the executive branch of the organization.”

   “I don't make decisions, but I support those who do.”

8. (transitive)To answer questions and resolve problems regarding something sold.

   “Sure they sell the product, but do they support it?”

9. (transitive, usually)To be designed to provide capacity for; to work or be compatible with (a part, accessory, file type, program, algorithm, etc.).

   “Early personal computers did not support voice-recognition hardware or software.”

10. (archaic, transitive)To endure without being overcome; bear; undergo; tolerate.

    “This fierce demeanour and his insolence / The patience of a god could not support.”

    “For a strong affection such moments are worth supporting, and they will end well; for your advocate is in your lover's heart and speaks her own language[…]”

11. (transitive)To play a lesser part in the same production with (a star performer).

    “to support the character of King Lear”

    “And the award for best supporting actress goes to...”

noun

1. (attributive, countable, sometimes, uncountable)Something which supports.

   “Don't move that beam! It's a support for the whole platform.”

2. (countable, uncountable)Financial or other help.

   “The government provides support to the arts in several ways.”

   “Kim was educated at the newly founded university in Pyongyang, named after his father, graduating in 1964. The 1960s and early 1970s were the golden years for the DPRK. It undertook rapid industrialisation, economically outstripped its southern competitor, and enjoyed the support of both the People's Republic of China, and the Soviet Union.”

   “Admiral Hackett: Hell of a thing you just pulled off, Commander. Curing the genophage? I never thought I'd see the day. Shepard: Wrex has agreed to help the turians, Admiral. We should get their full support.”

3. (countable, uncountable)Answers to questions and resolution of problems regarding something sold.

   “Sure they sell the product, but do they provide support?”

4. (countable, uncountable)in relation to a function, the set of points where the function is not zero; the closure of that set.
5. (countable, uncountable)A set whose elements are at least partially included in a given fuzzy set (i.e., whose grade of membership in that fuzzy set is strictly greater than zero).

   “If the membership function of a fuzzy set is continuous, then that fuzzy set's support is an open set.”

6. (countable, uncountable)The set of all prime ideals of R such that the localization of M at the prime is nonzero, denoted operatorname SuppM
7. (countable, uncountable)Evidence.

   “The new research provides further support for our theory.”

8. (countable, uncountable)Compatibility and functionality for a given product or feature.

   “This game has no mouse support.”

9. (countable, uncountable)An actor playing a subordinate part with a star.
10. (countable, uncountable)An accompaniment in music.
11. (abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, countable, uncountable)Clipping of support position.

    “Dip down as far as you are able, aiming to descend to the bottom of your sternum. Press back up to a support.”

12. (countable, uncountable)Horizontal, vertical or rotational support of structures: movable, hinged, fixed.