vt (1)支撑，承受(重量)(bear or hold up (a load，structure，part，etc))[T+n]：That chair won't～him/his weight. 那把椅子禁不住他/他的重量。These walls/beams～the roof. 这些墙/横梁支撑着屋顶。the towers that～a bridge 支撑着桥的塔楼;～a heavy box on one's shoulders 肩扛着个沉重的盒子;stood up～ing oneself with a stick/on the arms of the chair 拄着拐杖/撑着椅子的扶手站起;〖同〗sustain，bear，hold;

(2)支持，赞助 (uphold and aid;back) [T+n，T+n+prep (in)]：～a political candidate/a reform 支持一政治候选人/改革;～a charity赞助慈善事业;～sb's cause 支持某人的事业;～sb's demands for independence 支持某人独立的要求;Which basketball team do you～? 你支持哪个篮球队? I don't～the idea that teenagers are lazy. 我不赞成认为青少年懒惰的看法。～sb in sb's decision/sb's campaign for election 支持某人的决定/竞选;～sb in sb's trouble在某人患难时支持他;〖同〗favour，aid，assist;

(3)为……提供证据，证实(provide evidence for the truth of (a theory，statement，claim，etc))[T+n]：These results (discoveries)～ed his theory/his original idea. 这些结果(发现)为他的理论/最初的想法提供了证据。The evidence～ed her statement. 这一证据证实了她的陈述。How does he～the theory? 他如何来证明此理论?〖同〗verify;

(4)供(赡)养，负担费用(supply (a person) with the means of living)[T+n]：～one's family/two poor children养家/负担两个穷孩子的生活费用;have a wife and four children to～要养活妻子和四个孩子;can't～one's family on such a small salary 以如此少的薪水难以养家𫘯口;〖同〗maintain，keep，provide for;

(5)维持生命 (provide food and water to keep sb/sth alive)[T+n]：Air，food and drink are necessary to～life. 空气，食物和水是维持生命不可缺少的。The barren desert can't～many creatures. 贫瘠的沙漠使很多生灵无法生存。

→sup′portable adj 可承受的;供养起的;可忍受的;sup′porter n 支持者;sup′porting adj(电影，剧中)次要的;sup′portive adj 支持的，帮助的，同情的;

n (1)支撑(承)物(sth that bears the weight of sth else)[C]：the～s of a bridge/the floors 桥墩/地板的支座;the main～of a building 大楼的主要支撑物;The neck is the～of the head.脖颈是头部的支柱。One of the roof～s is cracked. 支撑屋顶的一根柱子裂了。〖同〗post，supporter，pillar，column;

(2)支持;供养;维持(act of supporting or state of being supported)[U][N (for)]：because of lack of～因为缺乏支持;rely on sb's～in an election 在选举中依靠某人的支持;need/ask for sb's financial～需要/请求某人的经济资助;give sb a little moral～给予某人一些道义上的支持;provide emotional～for children 给予孩子们感情上的支持;His job is the family's only means of～.他的工作是这个家庭唯一的经济来源。〖同〗backing，defence，aid，help，assistance;

(3)给予支持(帮助，同情)的人(person who gives help，money，sympathy，etc)[C]：be a great～to sb 是某人重要的支柱;the family's only～唯一养家𫘯口的人;the sole～of one's old mother 年迈母亲的唯一赡养者;

(4)(球队，政党等的)支持(捧场)者(people who are loyal to a team，party，etc by coming to meetings，matches，etc regularly)[U]：Our team/theatre gets a lot of～. 我们队/剧场有很多捧场者。

in support(军队)后(予)备的：They have twelve people to do the cooking，with several more in～. 他们有12个人做饭，另外几个人随时准备帮忙。

in support of sb/sth 支持，拥护：He spoke in～of the plan. 他发言支持这项计划。