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sustain

sus·tain [ sə stáyn ]


transitive verb  (past and past participle sus·tained, present participle sus·tain·ing, 3rd person present singular sus·tains)
Definition:
 
1. nourish somebody: to provide somebody with nourishment or the necessities of life

2. support something from below: to keep something in position by holding it from below
The floor will not sustain the weight of a grand piano.

3. provide somebody with moral support: to keep somebody going with emotional or moral support

4. withstand something: to manage to withstand something and continue in spite of it

5. be affected by something: to experience a setback, injury, damage, loss, or defeat
sustained several broken bones

6. maintain something: to make something continue to exist
sustaining the audience's interest

7. keep pretense going: to maintain a pretense successfully

8. confirm something: to confirm that something is true or valid
sustained the lower court's ruling

9. law validate something: to decide that a statement or objection is valid or justified



noun  (plural sus·tains)
Definition:
 
music prolonged musical note: a musical note that is prolonged

[13th century. < Anglo-Norman sustein-, stem of sustenir< Latin sustinere "hold up" < tenere "hold"]

sus·tain·ment noun
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