Sustain (Verb)
Meaning 1
Admit as valid; "The court sustained the motion".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- The judge sustained the objection raised by the defense attorney against the prosecution's line of questioning.
- The appeals court sustained the lower court's ruling in favor of the plaintiff.
- The jury sustained the argument made by the prosecution team during the trial.
- After reviewing the case, the higher court sustained the decision made by the judge earlier.
- In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court sustained the constitutionality of the new law.
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Meaning 2
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".
Classification
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations.
Examples
- The company sustained the economic growth by continually investing in new technologies and innovative marketing strategies.
- The medical team sustained the patient's life for several hours until they could be transported to a fully equipped hospital.
- The organization sustained its efforts to protect the environment by promoting recycling and reducing waste.
- The town sustained the traditional festival by continuing to hold it annually and teaching the younger generation the customs.
- The government sustained the subsidies for low-income families to help them during the economic downturn.
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Meaning 3
Establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts; "his story confirmed my doubts"; "The evidence supports the defendant".
Classification
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting.
Examples
- New data from the study helps sustain the theory of climate change.
- Research has sustain previous findings, confirming the benefits of regular exercise.
- The testimony provided during the trial sustain the prosecution's case.
- The results sustain the hypothesis that a balanced diet promotes overall well-being.
- Expert analysis helps sustain the business's claims of increased productivity.
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Meaning 4
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".
Classification
Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care.
Examples
- She sustained severe internal injuries in the car crash that left her hospitalized for months.
- He sustained multiple concussions during his football career, which led to complications later in life.
- She sustained serious burns on her hands while working with chemicals in the lab.
- He sustained a spinal cord injury in a skydiving accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down.
- She sustained a case of pneumonia after being exposed to the cold virus that was going around her workplace.
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Meaning 5
Provide with nourishment; "We sustained ourselves on bread and water"; "This kind of food is not nourishing for young children".
Classification
Verbs of eating and drinking.
Examples
- The patient's intravenous fluids helped to sustain him until the doctors could find a suitable donor for the transplant.
- The charity provided food packets to sustain the families affected by the natural disaster.
- During the long hike, they had to sustain themselves on energy bars and dried fruits.
- Her mother's recipes sustained her through college and into her adult life, providing her with comfort and a sense of home.
- The hospital's nutrition plan was designed to sustain the babies who were being cared for in the neonatal unit.
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Meaning 6
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?".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- The pillars sustain the massive weight of the cathedral's roof.
- The workers were carefully positioned to sustain the heavy machinery as it was lowered into the trench.
- Only the collective effort of the scaffolding could sustain the combined weight of the materials.
- The metal rod had been bent into a shape that could sustain the hanging loads.
- The wooden beam was able to sustain the storage room's ceiling, although it looked old and worn.
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Meaning 7
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".
Classification
Verbs of eating and drinking.
Examples
- She alone sustained her family during the difficult times of war and poverty.
- The charity will sustain a local school with donations and volunteering efforts.
- The company's profits will sustain its expansion into new markets next year.
- The limited resources will barely sustain the small village through the winter.
- A small monthly salary can sustain a single person in a foreign country for a short period.