What does sustain mean?
Definitions for sustain
səˈsteɪnsus·tain
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word sustain.
Princeton's WordNet
prolong, sustain, keep upverb
lengthen or extend in duration or space
"We sustained the diplomatic negotiations as long as possible"; "prolong the treatment of the patient"; "keep up the good work"
suffer, sustain, have, getverb
undergo (as of injuries and illnesses)
"She suffered a fracture in the accident"; "He had an insulin shock after eating three candy bars"; "She got a bruise on her leg"; "He got his arm broken in the scuffle"
nourish, nurture, sustainverb
provide with nourishment
"We sustained ourselves on bread and water"; "This kind of food is not nourishing for young children"
sustain, keep, maintainverb
supply with necessities and support
"She alone sustained her family"; "The money will sustain our good cause"; "There's little to earn and many to keep"
hold, support, sustain, hold upverb
be the physical support of; carry the weight of
"The beam holds up the roof"; "He supported me with one hand while I balanced on the beam"; "What's holding that mirror?"
sustainverb
admit as valid
"The court sustained the motion"
confirm, corroborate, sustain, substantiate, support, affirmverb
establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts
"his story confirmed my doubts"; "The evidence supports the defendant"
Wiktionary
sustainnoun
A mechanism which can be used to hold a note, as the right pedal on a piano.
sustainverb
To maintain (something), or keep it in existence.
sustainverb
To provide for or nourish (something).
sustainverb
To encourage (something).
sustainverb
To experience or suffer (an injury, etc.).
sustainverb
To confirm, prove, or corroborate (something).
Etymology: From sustenir (French: soutenir), from sustineo, from sub- + teneo.
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
To SUSTAINverb
Etymology: soustenir, Fr. sustineo, Latin.
The largeness and lightness of her wings and tail sustain her without lassitude. More.
Vain is the force of man,
To crush the pillars that the pile sustain. John Dryden, Æneid.The admirable curiosity and singular excellency of this design will sustain the patience, and animate the industry of him who shall undertake it. William Holder.
If he have no comfortable expectations of another life to sustain him under the evils in this world, he is of all creatures the most miserable. John Tillotson.
What food
Will he convey up thither to sustain
Himself and army? John Milton.But it on her, not she on it depends;
For she the body doth sustain and cherish. Davies.My labour will sustain me. John Milton.
They charged on pain of perpetual displeasure, neither to entreat for him, or any way sustain him. William Shakespeare.
His sons who seek the tyrant to sustain,
And long for arbitrary lords again,
He dooms to death, asserting publick right. John Dryden, Æn.Were it I thought death menac’d would ensue
This my attempt, I would sustain alone
The worst, and not persuade thee. John Milton.Can Ceyx then sustain to leave his wife,
And unconcern’d forsake the sweets of life. Dryden.Shall Turnus then such endless toil sustain,
In fighting fields, and conquer towns in vain. Dryden.The mind stands collected within herself, and sustains the shock with all the force which is natural to her; but a heart in love has its foundations sapped. Addison.
Sacharissa’s beauty’s wine,
Which to madness doth incline;
Such a liquor as no brain
That is mortal can sustain. Edmund Waller.If you omit
The offer of this time, I cannot promise,
But that you shall sustain more new disgraces,
With these you bear already. William Shakespeare, Henry VIII.
Wikipedia
sustain
In sound and music, an envelope describes how a sound changes over time. It may relate to elements such as amplitude (volume), frequencies (with the use of filters) or pitch. For example, a piano key, when struck and held, creates a near-immediate initial sound which gradually decreases in volume to zero. Envelope generators, which allow users to control the different stages of a sound, are common features of synthesizers, samplers, and other electronic musical instruments. The most common form of envelope generator is controlled with four parameters: attack, decay, sustain and release (ADSR).
ChatGPT
sustain
Sustain generally refers to maintaining or supporting something over a period of time. It implies the ability to uphold or continue a particular condition, practice, or process, usually in a way that is environmentally, economically, and socially responsible. In various contexts, sustain can refer to preserving resources, promoting longevity, or ensuring the endurance or stability of a system, organization, or individual.
Webster Dictionary
Sustainverb
to keep from falling; to bear; to uphold; to support; as, a foundation sustains the superstructure; a beast sustains a load; a rope sustains a weight
Sustainverb
hence, to keep from sinking, as in despondence, or the like; to support
Sustainverb
to maintain; to keep alive; to support; to subsist; to nourish; as, provisions to sustain an army
Sustainverb
to aid, comfort, or relieve; to vindicate
Sustainverb
to endure without failing or yielding; to bear up under; as, to sustain defeat and disappointment
Sustainverb
to suffer; to bear; to undergo
Sustainverb
to allow the prosecution of; to admit as valid; to sanction; to continue; not to dismiss or abate; as, the court sustained the action or suit
Sustainverb
to prove; to establish by evidence; to corroborate or confirm; to be conclusive of; as, to sustain a charge, an accusation, or a proposition
Sustainnoun
one who, or that which, upholds or sustains; a sustainer
Wikidata
Sustain
In music, sustain is a parameter of musical sound over time. As its name implies, it denotes the period of time during which the sound remains before it becomes inaudible, or silent. Additionally, sustain is the third of the four segments in an ADSR envelope. The sustain portion of the ADSR envelope begins when the attack and decay portions have run their course, and continues until the key is released. The sustain control is used to determine the level at which the envelope will remain. While the attack, decay, and release controls are rate or time controls, the sustain control is a level control.
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
Sustain
sus-tān′, v.t. to hold up: to bear: to maintain: to relieve: to prove: to sanction: to prolong.—adjs. Sustain′able, that may be sustained; Sustained′, kept up at one uniform pitch.—ns. Sustain′er, one who, or that which, sustains; Sustain′ment, act of sustaining, sustenance; Sus′tenance, that which sustains: maintenance: provisions.—adj. Sustentac′ular, supporting, pertaining to a Sustentac′ulum, a support or sustaining tissue, esp. an inferior spine of the tarsus in spiders of the genus Epeira.—v.t. Sus′tentāte, to sustain.—n. Sustentā′tion, that which sustains: support: maintenance.—adj. Susten′tative, sustaining.—ns. Sus′tentātor, a sustaining part or structure; Susten′tion, the act of sustaining; Susten′tor, one of two posterior projections of a butterfly-chrysalis.—Sustentation Fund, the scheme by which the ministers of the Free Church of Scotland are supported by voluntary contributions not local or congregational, but with a national altruism or solidarity paid into a great central fund, out of which equal stipends are paid to all alike. [L. sustinēre—sub, up, tenēre, to hold.]
Military Dictionary and Gazetteer
sustain
To sustain is to aid, succor, or support, any body of men in action or defense.
Editors Contribution
sustain
To provide or supply a moderate amount that is fair and just and in order of priority.
Their income from both their forms of employment can sustain their lifestyle and they are grateful.
Submitted by MaryC on March 13, 2020
sustain
At a moderate level with a specific, accurate, moderate and sufficient amount or number and ensuring the action is mindful and fair to the environment or planet.
They did sustain their business easily and efficiently.
Submitted by MaryC on March 13, 2020
Matched Categories
British National Corpus
Verbs Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'sustain' in Verbs Frequency: #578
Anagrams for sustain »
issuant
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of sustain in Chaldean Numerology is: 5
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of sustain in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4
Examples of sustain in a Sentence
On behalf of the entire organization, I would like to thank Lovie Smith for everything he has contributed to our team over the last two seasons as a coach and a leader, i’m constantly evaluating our football operation and believe this is the best decision for us at this time. It is my responsibility to build a comprehensive and competitive program that can sustain success over a long period of time. We aren’t there right now, however, with the support of the McNair family and the resources available to us, I’m confident in the direction of our football program moving forward.
Eventually well lose ice in this region as well, if we dont get our use of carbon under control in the next few years, were going to pass a point where we wont be able to sustain these ecosystems, if the ice loss persists through the latter half of this century.
If you do get any incremental production increase from OPEC - read Iran - you're going to sustain stock builds.
Anti-trade policies, particularly tariffs, act like a tax on consumers and businesses by raising the cost of trade. By creating uncertainty, they also weigh on asset valuations, which could weaken households' ability to sustain spending and reduce the incentive for businesses to invest.
If you are a lower middle-income economy( like Carnegie India) then it is important to sustain growth. And it should be able to sustain growth for years while for developed economies these kinds of cycles are quite common.
Popularity rank by frequency of use
References
Translations for sustain
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- تحمل, يعول, يبقيArabic
- sostenirCatalan, Valencian
- udržovatCzech
- opretholdeDanish
- aufrechterhaltenGerman
- υποστηρίGreek
- subteniEsperanto
- sustentar, sostenerSpanish
- alal hoidmaEstonian
- حفظPersian
- ravita, pitää yllä, ylläpitää, huoltaa, ruokkiaFinnish
- maintenir, subvenirFrench
- iompairIrish
- fenntartHungarian
- menopangIndonesian
- sostenereItalian
- לִתְמוֹךHebrew
- サスティーンJapanese
- ಉಳಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲುKannada
- sustinereLatin
- opprettholdeNorwegian
- onderhouden, in stand houdenDutch
- opprettholdeNorwegian
- podtrzymaćPolish
- sustentar, susterPortuguese
- susțineRomanian
- обеспечивать, поддерживать, содержатьRussian
- muhafaza etmek, sürdürmekTurkish
- витримуватиUkrainian
- duy trìVietnamese
- ונטערהאַלטןYiddish
- 支持Chinese
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"sustain." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Apr. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/sustain>.
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