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
- 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
- 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. - 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
- upholdatory rare, obsolete, nonce word