| support | 1. To bear by being under; to keep from falling; to uphold; to sustain, in a literal or physical sense; to prop up; to bear the weight of; as, a pillar supports a structure; an abutment supports an arch; the trunk of a tree supports the branches. 2. To endure without being overcome, exhausted, or changed in character; to sustain; as, to support pain, distress, or misfortunes. "This fierce demeanor and his insolence The patience of a god could not support." (Dryden) 3. To keep from failing or sinking; to solace under affictive circumstances; to assist; to encourage; to defend; as, to support the courage or spirits. 4. To assume and carry successfully, as the part of an actor; to represent or act; to sustain; as, to support the character of King Lear. 5. To furnish with the means of sustenance or livelihood; to maintain; to provide for; as, to support a family; to support the ministers of the gospel. 6. To carry on; to enable to continue; to maintain; as, to support a war or a contest; to support an argument or a debate. 7. To verify; to make good; to substantiate; to establish; to sustain; as, the testimony is not sufficient to support the charges; the evidence will not support the statements or allegations. "To urge such arguments, as though they were sufficient to support and demonstrate a whole scheme of moral philosophy." (J. Edwards) 8. To vindicate; to maintain; to defend successfully; as, to be able to support one's own cause. 9. To uphold by aid or countenance; to aid; to help; to back up; as, to support a friend or a party; to support the present administration. "Wherefore, bold pleasant, Darest thou support a published traitor?" (Shak) 10. A attend as an honorary assistant; as, a chairman supported by a vice chairman; O'Connell left the prison, supported by his two sons. Support arms, a command in the manual of arms in responce to which the piece is held vertically at the shoulder, with the hammer resting on the left forearm, which is passed horizontally across the body in front; also, the position assumed in response to this command. Synonym: To maintain, endure, verify, substantiate, countenance, patronize, help, back, second, succor, relieve, uphold, encourage, favor, nurture, nourish, cherish, shield, defend, protect, stay, assist, forward. Origin: F. Supporter, L. Supportare to carry on, to convey, in LL, to support, sustain; sub under + portare to carry. See Port demeanor. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| support medium | The material in which separation takes place, as in separation of components in electrophoresis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| supporter | 1. One who, or that which, supports; as, oxygen is a supporter of life. "The sockets and supporters of flowers are figured." (Bacon) "The saints have a . . . Supporter in all their miseries." (South) 2. Especially, an adherent; one who sustains, advocates, and defends; as, the supporter of a party, faction, or candidate. 3. A knee placed under the cathead. 4. A figure, sometimes of a man, but commonly of some animal, placed on either side of an escutcheon, and exterior to it. Usually, both supporters of an escutcheon are similar figures. 5. <medicine> A broad band or truss for supporting the abdomen or some other part or organ. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| supporting area | Those areas of the maxillary and mandibular edentulous ridges which are considered best suited to carry the forces of mastication when the dentures are in function. Synonym: denture foundation area. (05 Mar 2000) |
| supporting cell | One of the ordinary elongated cell's resting on the basement membrane that surround and serve as a support to the shorter specialised cell's in certain organs, such as the labyrinth of the inner ear or olfactory epithelium. Synonym: supporting cell. (05 Mar 2000) |
| supporting reactions | Described by Magnus, who distinguished two types: (05 Mar 2000) |
| supporting reflexes | Described by Magnus, who distinguished two types: (05 Mar 2000) |
| supportive care | Treatment given to prevent, control, or relieve complications and side effects and to improve the patient's comfort and quality of life. (12 Dec 1998) |
| supportive psychotherapy | Psychotherapy aiming at bolstering the patient's psychological defenses and providing him or her reassurance, as in crisis intervention, rather than probing provocatively into his or her conflicts. (05 Mar 2000) |
| supportress | A female supporter. "You are my gracious patroness and supportress." (Massinger) Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| advanced life support | Definitive emergency medical care that includes defibrillation, airway management, and use of drugs and medications. Compare: basic life support. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| basic life support | Emergency cardiopulmonary resuscitation, control of bleeding, treatment of shock, acidosis, and poisoning, stabilization of injuries and wounds, and basic first aid. (05 Mar 2000) |
| research support | Financial support of research activities. (12 Dec 1998) |
| health planning support | Financial resources provided for activities related to health planning and development. (12 Dec 1998) |
| social support | Support systems that provide assistance and encouragement to individuals with physical or emotional disabilities in order that they may better cope. Informal social support is usually provided by friends, relatives, or peers, while formal assistance is provided by churches, groups, etc. (12 Dec 1998) |
| nutritional support | The administration of nutrients for assimilation and utilization by a patient by means other than normal eating. It does not include fluid therapy which normalises body fluids to restore water-electrolyte balance. (12 Dec 1998) |
| decision support systems, clinical | Computer-based information systems used to integrate clinical and patient information and provide support for decision-making in patient care. (12 Dec 1998) |
| decision support systems, management | Computer-based systems that enable management to interrogate the computer on an ad hoc basis for various kinds of information in the organization, which predict the effect of potential decisions. (12 Dec 1998) |
| decision support techniques | Mathematical or statistical procedures used as aids in making a decision. They are frequently used in medical decision-making. (12 Dec 1998) |
| training support | Financial support for training including both student stipends and loans and training grants to institutions. (12 Dec 1998) |
| financial support | The provision of monetary resources including money or capital and credit; obtaining or furnishing money or capital for a purchase or enterprise and the funds so obtained. (12 Dec 1998) |
| life support care | Care provided patients requiring extraordinary therapeutic measures in order to sustain and prolong life. (12 Dec 1998) |
| life support systems | Systems that provide all or most of the items necessary for maintaining life and health. Provisions are made for the supplying of oxygen, food, water, temperature and pressure control, disposition of carbon dioxide and body waste. The milieu may be a spacecraft, a submarine, or the surface of the moon. In medical care, usually under hospital conditions, life support care is available. (12 Dec 1998) |