bolster
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Related to bolsters: bolster pillows
bol·ster
(bōl′stər)n.
A long narrow pillow or cushion.
tr.v. bol·stered, bol·ster·ing, bol·sters
1. To support or prop up with or as if with a long narrow pillow or cushion.
2. To buoy up or hearten: Visitors bolstered the patient's morale.
[Middle English, from Old English; see bhelgh- in Indo-European roots.]
bol′ster·er n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
bolster
(ˈbəʊlstə)vb (tr)
1. (often foll by up) to support or reinforce; strengthen: to bolster morale.
2. to prop up with a pillow or cushion
3. to add padding to: to bolster a dress.
n
4. (Furniture) a long narrow pillow or cushion
5. any pad or padded support
6. (Building) architect a short horizontal length of timber fixed to the top of a post to increase the bearing area and reduce the span of the supported beam
7. (Tools) a cold chisel having a broad blade splayed towards the cutting edge, used for cutting stone slabs, etc
[Old English bolster; related to Old Norse bolstr, Old High German bolstar, Dutch bulster]
ˈbolsterer n
ˈbolstering n, adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
bol•ster
(ˈboʊl stər)n.
1. a long, often cylindrical cushion or pillow for a bed, sofa, etc.
2. anything resembling this in form or in use as a support.
3. any pillow, cushion, or pad.
4. a horizontal timber on a post for lessening the free span of a beam.
v.t. 5. to support with or as if with a bolster.
6. to add to, support, or uphold: They bolstered their claim with new evidence.
[before 1000; Middle English bolstre, Old English bolster; c. Middle Dutch bolster, Old High German bolstar, Old Norse bolstr]
bol′ster•er, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
bolster
Past participle: bolstered
Gerund: bolstering
| Imperative |
|---|
| bolster |
| bolster |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
Bolster
Part of a wagon. It was a heavy wood beam just slightly shorter than the axle and was placed between the axle and the wagon box. There were two bolsters on a wagon. Part of a wagon. It was a heavy wood beam just slightly shorter than an axle and one was placed between each axle, and the wagon box. There were two bolsters on a wagon. The rear bolster was directly over the rear axle and firmly fixed to it. The front axle had a wooden beam (sand board) bolted to the top of it. Above that was the front bolster, which was attached to the sand board and front axle with a single loose-fitting king pin. The single pin allowed the front axle to swivel (turn) under the bolster so that the wagon direction could be controlled by the front axle. The looseness, in principle, allowed the front axle to rock from side to side a small amount without affecting the way the box rode on the Running gear. Bolsters were usually made of oak or hickory, were about four feet long, and about four by five inches in cross section. For a sketch showing the relative position of some parts of the wagon, see the Hawn entry.
1001 Words and Phrases You Never Knew You Didn’t Know by W.R. Runyan Copyright © 2011 by W.R. Runyan
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. | bolster - a pillow that is often put across a bed underneath the regular pillows pillow - a cushion to support the head of a sleeping person |
| Verb | 1. | bolster - support and strengthen; "bolster morale" |
| 2. | bolster - prop up with a pillow or bolster | |
| 3. | bolster - add padding to; "pad the seat of the chair" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
bolster
verb
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
bolster
verbThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
وِسادَهيَدْعَمُ
podepřítpodhlavník
bolsterforbedrepøllestyrke
tukeatyynyvahvistaa
vánkos
sessa, púîistyrkja, efla
pagalvėvelenėlis
atbalstītbalstītpolsteris
podhlavník
bolster
desteklemekkanepe yastığıtakviye etmek
bolster
[ˈbəʊlstəʳ]Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
bolster
n (on bed) → Nackenrolle f
vt (also bolster up: fig) person → Mut machen (+dat); status → aufbessern; currency → stützen; economy, confidence → Auftrieb geben (+dat); profits, power → erhöhen; case → untermauern; support → verstärken; it bolsters my ego → das gibt mir Auftrieb, das baut mich auf; to bolster (up) somebody’s morale → jdm Mut machen
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
bolster
(ˈboulstə) noun a long, often round pillow.
verb – past tense, past participle ˈbolstered – (often with up) to prop up. We're getting a loan to bolster (up) the economy.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
bolster
n. cabezal; sostén, refuerzo;
___ suture → sutura compuesta.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012