• Uphold

    Pronunciation

    • IPA: /ˌʌpˈhold/

    Origin

    From Middle English upholden, equivalent to - + hold. Compare Dutch ophouden ("to stop, cease, hold up"), German aufhalten ("to stop, halt, detain"). Compare also Middle Low German upholt, Old Norse upphald ("uphold, support").

    Full definition of uphold

    Verb

    1. To hold up; to lift on high; to elevate.
      • 1899 , John Dryden, Geoffrey Chaucer, Percival Chubb , Dryden's Palamon and Arcite , The mournful train/ Echoed her grief, .../ With groans, and hands upheld, to move his mind, /Besought his pity to their helpless kind
    2. To keep erect; to support; to sustain; to keep from falling; to maintain.
      • 1769 , w, A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.
      • 1623 , William Shakespeare , w, That misbegotten devil, Falconbridge, /In spite of spite, alone upholds the day.
      • 1872 , James De Mille , The Cryptogram Chapter , Uttering such broken ejaculations Mrs. Hart burst into a passion of tears, and only Lord Chetwynde's strong arms prevented her from falling.
        He upheld her.
    3. To support by approval or encouragement.
      • 1748. David Hume. Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral. London: Oxford University Press, 1973. § 18:but there was still a connexion upheld among the different ideas, which succeeded each other.

    Derived terms

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