Definitions for sustain
səˈsteɪnsus·tain

Princeton's WordNet(1.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. 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"

2. 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"

3. nourish, nurture, sustainverb

   provide with nourishment

   "We sustained ourselves on bread and water"; "This kind of food is not nourishing for young children"

4. 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"

5. 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?"

6. sustainverb

   admit as valid

   "The court sustained the motion"

7. 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(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. sustainnoun

   A mechanism which can be used to hold a note, as the right pedal on a piano.

2. sustainverb

   To maintain (something), or keep it in existence.

3. sustainverb

   To provide for or nourish (something).

4. sustainverb

   To encourage (something).

5. sustainverb

   To experience or suffer (an injury, etc.).

6. sustainverb

   To confirm, prove, or corroborate (something).

7. Etymology: From sustenir (French: soutenir), from sustineo, from sub- + teneo.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. To SUSTAINverb

   Etymology: soustenir, Fr. sustineo, Latin.

   1. To bear; to prop; to hold up.

   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.

   2. To support; to keep from sinking under evil.

   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.

   3. To maintain; to keep.

   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.

   4. To help; to relieve; to assist.

   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.

   5. To bear; to endure.

   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.

   6. To bear without yielding.

   Sacharissa’s beauty’s wine,
   Which to madness doth incline;
   Such a liquor as no brain
   That is mortal can sustain. Edmund Waller.

   7. To suffer; to bear as inflicted.

   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.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. 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

2. Sustainverb

   hence, to keep from sinking, as in despondence, or the like; to support

3. Sustainverb

   to maintain; to keep alive; to support; to subsist; to nourish; as, provisions to sustain an army

4. Sustainverb

   to aid, comfort, or relieve; to vindicate

5. Sustainverb

   to endure without failing or yielding; to bear up under; as, to sustain defeat and disappointment

6. Sustainverb

   to suffer; to bear; to undergo

7. 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

8. 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

9. Sustainnoun

   one who, or that which, upholds or sustains; a sustainer

Freebase(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. 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(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. 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(1.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. sustain

   To sustain is to aid, succor, or support, any body of men in action or defense.

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. 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  

2. 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

1. • Admit
   • Experience
   • Have
   • Supply

British National Corpus

1. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'sustain' in Verbs Frequency: #578

Anagrams for sustain »

1. issuant

How to pronounce sustain?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say sustain in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of sustain in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of sustain in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of sustain in a Sentence

1. Mike Pompeo:

   No nation has done more to sustain the death and daily misery of ordinary Venezuelans, including Venezuela's military and their families, than the communists in Havana.

2. Jens Holte:

   If we do not achieve results, we will not achieve our common goal and our ambitious objectives, without results, we will not be able to sustain and increase the financial investment needed.

3. Barack Obama:

   He said, 'Ah, Mr. President, you don't understand society here. This is all going to be fine. It'll blow over.' And it didn't, but the trendline is one that I will sustain throughout the rest of my presidency and that is to make an argument to those friends and allies of ours that if they want a society that is going to be able to sustain itself in this age, then they're going to have to change how they do business.

4. Leandro Liberman:

   It can't continue, no country in the world can sustain policy like this in the medium- and long-term.

5. Harrison Phillips:

   It's hyper-growth, so companies need to be able to raise as much capital and deploy that capital to sustain growth.

Popularity rank by frequency of use