Word Meanings - PILLAR - Book Publishers vocabulary database

A portable ornamental column, formerly carried before a cardinal, as emblematic of his support to the church. Skelton. (more info) 1. The general and popular term for a firm, upright, insulated support for a superstructure; a pier, column, or

Additional info about word: PILLAR

A portable ornamental column, formerly carried before a cardinal, as emblematic of his support to the church. Skelton. (more info) 1. The general and popular term for a firm, upright, insulated support for a superstructure; a pier, column, or post; also, a column or shaft not supporting a superstructure, as one erected for a monument or an ornament. Jacob set a pillar upon her grave. Gen. xxxv. 20. The place . . . vast and proud, Supported by a hundred pillars stood. Dryden. 2. Figuratively, that which resembles such a pillar in appearance, character, or office; a supporter or mainstay; as, the Pillars of Hercules; a pillar of the state. "You are a well-deserving pillar." Shak. By day a cloud, by night a pillar of fire. Milton.

Related words: (words related to PILLAR)

• CHURCHLINESS
  Regard for the church.
• SUPPORTABLE
  Capable of being supported, maintained, or endured; endurable. -- Sup*port"a*ble*ness, n. -- Sup*port"a*bly, adv.
• POPULARIZATION
  The act of making popular, or of introducing among the people.
• CHURCHLIKE
  Befitting a church or a churchman; becoming to a clergyman. Shak.
• CARRIBOO
  See CARIBOU
• SUPPORTATION
  Maintenance; support. Chaucer. Bacon.
• CARRIABLE
  Capable of being carried.
• INSULATOR
  The substance or body that insulates; a nonconductor. (more info) 1. One who, or that which, insulates.
• GENERALIZED
  Comprising structural characters which are separated in more specialized forms; synthetic; as, a generalized type.
• FORMERLY
  In time past, either in time immediately preceding or at any indefinite distance; of old; heretofore.
• GENERALIZABLE
  Capable of being generalized, or reduced to a general form of statement, or brought under a general rule. Extreme cases are . . . not generalizable. Coleridge
• UPRIGHTNESS
  the quality or state of being upright.
• PORTABLENESS
  The quality or state of being portable; portability.
• COLUMN
  A kind of pillar; a cylindrical or polygonal support for a roof, ceiling, statue, etc., somewhat ornamented, and usually composed of base, shaft, and capital. See Order. 2. Anything resembling, in form or position, a column an architecture;
• CHURCH
  AS. circe, cyrice; akin to D. kerk, Icel. kirkja, Sw. kyrka, Dan. kirke, G. kirche, OHG. chirihha; all fr. Gr. ç'd4ra hero, Zend. çura 1. A building set apart for Christian worship. 2. A Jewish or heathen temple. Acts xix. 37. 3. A formally
• ORNAMENTAL
  Serving to ornament; characterized by ornament; beautifying; embellishing. Some think it most ornamental to wear their bracelets on their wrists; others, about their ankles. Sir T. Browne.
• CHURCHYARD
  The ground adjoining a church, in which the dead are buried; a cemetery. Like graves in the holy churchyard. Shak. Syn. -- Burial place; burying ground; graveyard; necropolis; cemetery; God's acre.
• CHURCH-BENCH
  A seat in the porch of a church. Shak.
• SUPPORTFUL
  Abounding with support. Chapman.
• CHURCH MODES
  The modes or scales used in ancient church music. See Gregorian.
• MAJOR GENERAL
  . An officer of the army holding a rank next above that of brigadier general and next below that of lieutenant general, and who usually commands a division or a corps.
• THEREBEFORE; THEREBIFORN
  Before that time; beforehand. Many a winter therebiforn. Chaucer.
• SEMICOLUMNAR
  Like a semicolumn; flat on one side and round on the other; imperfectly columnar.