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View synonyms for

bolster

[ bohl-ster ]

noun

  1. a long, often cylindrical, cushion or pillow for a bed, sofa, etc.
  2. anything resembling this in form or in use as a support.
  3. any pillow, cushion, or pad.
  4. Nautical.
    1. Also called bolster plate. a circular casting on the side of a vessel, through which an anchor chain passes.
    2. a timber used as a temporary support.
    3. a beam for holding lines or rigging without chafing.
    4. a bag filled with buoyant material, fitted into a small boat.
  5. Metalworking. an anvillike support for the lower die of a drop forge.
  6. Masonry.
    1. a timber or the like connecting two ribs of a centering.
    2. a chisel with a blade splayed toward the edge, used for cutting bricks.
  7. Carpentry. a horizontal timber on a post for lessening the free span of a beam.
  8. a structural member on which one end of a bridge truss rests.


verb (used with object)

  1. to support with or as with a pillow or cushion.
  2. to add to, support, strengthen, or uphold (sometimes followed by up ):

    They bolstered their morale by singing.

    He bolstered up his claim with new evidence.

    Synonyms: , , , ,

bolster

/ ˈəʊə /

verb

  1. often foll by up to support or reinforce; strengthen

    to bolster morale

  2. to prop up with a pillow or cushion
  3. to add padding to

    to bolster a dress

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a long narrow pillow or cushion
  2. any pad or padded support
  3. architect a short horizontal length of timber fixed to the top of a post to increase the bearing area and reduce the span of the supported beam
  4. a cold chisel having a broad blade splayed towards the cutting edge, used for cutting stone slabs, etc
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈDZٱԲ, nounadjective
  • ˈDZٱ, noun
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Other Word Forms

  • DZ·ٱ· noun
  • ܲ·DZ·ٱ verb (used with object)
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Word History and Origins

Origin of bolster1

First recorded before 1000; Middle English bolstre (noun), Old English bolster; cognate with Old Norse bolstr, Dutch bolster, German Polster
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Word History and Origins

Origin of bolster1

Old English bolster ; related to Old Norse bolstr , Old High German bolstar , Dutch bulster
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Synonym Study

See cushion.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

An unnamed friend of Iamaleava’s family told Front Office Sports that the dissatisfaction with the Volunteers centered on the need to bolster the offensive line and receiving corps, not a demand for additional compensation.

From

This week, President Xi Jinping is touring Southeast Asia in a bid to bolster economic alliances with countries such as Vietnam, Cambodia and Malaysia.

From

Domestic manufacturing could potentially be bolstered if the U.S. engaged in more trade within North America, especially Mexico.

From

Officials have said there is ample room for stimulus measures, and plenty of tools in the they can use to bolster the economy and roll out more support measures.

From

Now, a proposed law by Assemblymember Catherine Stefani, a San Francisco Democrat, aims to bolster and speed up the process by which courts report restraining orders to the state.

From

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