Also 5 -our. [f. SUPPORT v. + -ER1.] One who or that which supports.
1. One who sides with, backs up, assists or countenances a person, cause, etc.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), IV. 165. Marius and his supporters.
c. 1450. Brut, II. 370. A Squier of Walis þat was a rebell & a ryser, and supporter of Owen of Glyndore.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 114 b. He was also called a glutton,… a deceyuer of the people, a supporter of synners.
1588. Greene, Pandosto (1607), 50. I am accused that I haue been a supporter of Fawnias pride.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., II. § 87. The Marquis of Hamilton … was like to stand in need of great Supporters.
1733. Swift, Lett. to D’chess Queensberry, 20 March. You are grown very tetchy since I lost the dear friend who was my supporter.
1836. Hor. Smith, Tin Trump. (1876), 255. Staunch supporters of the Church.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xviii. IV. 209. Some French brandy … part of James’s farewell gift to his Highland supporters.
1868. E. Edwards, Ralegh, I. xxv. 586. He was the supporter of an English alliance with France.
b. Mil. A force that supports another, as in a second line. (Cf. SUPPORT sb. 5 b, v. 12.)
1796. Instr. & Reg. Cavalry (1813), 196. The last one or two squadrons of such a column are always to be considered as the supporters of those that attack.
1902. Words of Eyewitness, 144. Two companies of the East Surrey were ordered forward … to cover the retreat. Which suffered most, supporters or supported, I do not know.
2. One who keeps a person or thing from failing, giving way, or perishing; a sustainer, maintainer.
a. 1475. G. Ashby, Dicta Philos., 1062. Yf he be iuste, of right a supportour.
1589. Nashe, in Greene, Menaphon, Pref. (Arb.), 17. George Peele,… the chiefe supporter of pleasance nowe liuing, the Atlas of Poetrie.
1641. J. Jackson, True Evang. T., III. 213. Peace … is the very supporter of Individualls, Families, Churches, Common-wealths.
c. 1650. South, Serm., John xv. 26 (1744), VIII. 402. Under so many discouragements from without, they must needs have sunk, had they not had some supporter within.
1679. C. Nesse, Antichrist, Ep. Ded. Nobility … wants its true supporter, and soon dwindles into nothing.
1682. Dryden, To Duchess of York, 8. Love was no more when Loyalty was gone, The great Supporter of his awful Throne.
b. Chem. A substance that maintains some process, esp. combustion.
1806. G. Adams, Nat. & Exp. Philos., I. App. Amer. Ed. 541. Acids may be divided into three classes,… 2, supporters of combustion. The acid supporters are the oxymuriatic, and the hyperoxymuriatic.
c. 1865. Letheby, in Circ. Sci., I. 88/2. When coal gas is burnt in atmospheric air…, we call the gas the combustible, and the air … the supporter.
3. A thing (or person) that sustains the weight of something, or upon which something rests; a prop; a basis or substratum; = SUPPORT sb. 7.
1595. Shaks., John, III. i. 72. My greefe’s so great, That no supporter but the huge firme earth Can hold it vp.
1601. Holland, Pliny, XVI. xl. I. 489. The foure entire stones which bare up the said Obeliske as supporters.
1650. W. D., trans. Comenius’ Gate Latin Unl., § 439. Hee bear’s up (undersetteth) the leavie tendrels with props, or supporters.
1665. Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (1677), 136. That noted Aquaduct … the pipes by supporters reaching from Mountain to Mountain.
1703. T. N., City & C. Purchaser, 10. The Supporters, or Butments of this Arch.
1707. Mortimer, Husb. (1721), I. 147. A Building set upon Supporters.
1774. J. Bryant, Mythol., II. 334. The priests, and supporters … carry the sacred vehicle.
1809. A. Henry, Trav., 93. A pole which might be called the supporter of the building.
† b. A wire frame for supporting a large ruff. (Cf. SUPPORTASSE.) Obs.
1592. Warner, Alb. Eng., IX. xlvii. (1612), 218. Busks, Perrewigs, Maskes, Plumes of feathers fram’d, Supporters.
1599. Minsheu, Span. Dial., 15/2. Head rolles, coifes of gold, supporters, gorgets of networke.
1601. Dent, Pathw. Heaven (1831), 38. It was never good world, since starching and steeling,… supporters and rebatoes … came to be in use.
c. A leg. (Now only humorous.)
1601. Holland, Pliny, VII. l. I. 183. The eye-sight decayeth…, the hearing followeth soon after, then faile the supporters.
1625. Shirley, Maid’s Rev., I. ii. These brawny arms, this manly bulk, and these colossian supporters.
1681. Dineley, in Jrnl. Kilkenny Archæol. Soc., Ser. II. I. 178. The supporters of the woemen are very large.
1863. Sala, in Temple Bar, VIII. 73. I am feeble on the supporters.
† d. Each of the divisions of the calyx, regarded as supporting the corolla or flower; a sepal. Obs.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 590. The Sockets, and Supporters of Flowers, are Figured: As in the Five Brethren of the Rose.
1712. trans. Pomet’s Hist. Drugs, I. 5. Each of the Flowers has five or six Purple Supporters.
e. Naut. See quot.; also = BIBB.
1815. Burney, Falconer’s Dict. Marine, Supporters, in ship building, a name given to the knee-pieces of oak-timber under the cat-heads.
† f. Metaph. = SUPPORT sb. 7 b. Obs. rare.
1697. Locke, Lett. to Bp. Worc., Wks. 1714, I. 352. A Relation cannot be founded in nothing, or be the Relation of nothing, and the thing here related as a Supporter, or a Support, is not represented to the Mind by any clear and distinct Idea.
4. Her. A figure of an animal mythical creature, human being, etc., represented as holding up or standing beside the shield; each of two such figures, one on each side of the shield.
1572. Bossewell, Armorie, II. 112. Of the supporters, the one is a Beuer … The other assistant is an Harpie.
1599. Thynne, Animadv. (1875), 42. The erle of Kent bearethe a wiuer for his Creste and supporters;… the erle of Cumberlande, a wiuer geules for his supporters.
1610. Guillim, Heraldry, VI. vi. 271. If the things be liuing and sease vpon the Shield, then shall they be called properly Supporters.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, 17 Sept. 1662. A field Argent, with a canton of the armes of England; the supporters two talbots Argent.
1778. Pennant, Tour in Wales (1883), I. 41. The dragon and the gre-hound, the Supporters of the arms of England during the reign of Henry VII.
1814. Scott, Wav., viii. Two rampant bears, the supporters of the family of Bradwardine.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., iii. I. 322. He knew the genealogies and coats of arms of all his neighbours, and could tell which of them had assumed supporters without any right.
1868. Cussans, Her., xv. (1882), 194. Double Supporters were not generally adopted until the Fourteenth Century.
allusively. 1615. Breton, Char. vpon Essaies, Wks. (Grosart), II. 9/1. Her Supporters are Time and Patience, her Mantle Truth.
5. One who attends another for the purpose of giving physical or moral support; hence, an attendant, as in a procession: sometimes with allusion to prec. sense.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, III. xxi. (1912), 477. The fayre Ladie being come to the scaffold, and then made to kneele downe, and so lefte by her unkinde supporters.
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., V. i. 18. Come Escalus, You must walke by vs, on our other hand: And good supporters are you.
a. 1616. Beaum. & Fl., Wit without M., IV. i. Fie, how I sweat under this Pile of Beef;… give some supporters, or else I perish.
1632. Massinger & Field, Fatal Dowry, V. i. You have done me a disgrace … in giving cause To all the street to think I cannot stand Without these two supporters for my arms.
1642. in Rushw., Hist. Coll., III. (1692), I. 783. The Likeness of the Standard was much of the fashion of the City-Streamers used at the Lord-Mayor’s Show, having about twenty Supporters.
1675. South, Serm., Judg. viii. 34–5 (1727), I. 449. Ingratitude … sitting in its Throne, with Pride at its Right-Hand, and Cruelty at its Left; worthy Supporters of … such a reigning Impiety.
1784. Cowper, Task, I. 479. Others are dragg’d into the crowded room Between supporters.
1825. Scott, Betrothed, x. The most gallant knights of the Constable’s household … walked as mourners and supporters of the corpse, which was borne upon lances.
