bolster

[ bohl-ster ]

/ ˈboʊl stər /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR bolster ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a long, often cylindrical, cushion or pillow for a bed, sofa, etc.

anything resembling this in form or in use as a support.

any pillow, cushion, or pad.

Nautical.

Also called bolster plate.a circular casting on the side of a vessel, through which an anchor chain passes.
a timber used as a temporary support.
a beam for holding lines or rigging without chafing.
a bag filled with buoyant material, fitted into a small boat.

Metalworking. an anvillike support for the lower die of a drop forge.

Masonry.

a timber or the like connecting two ribs of a centering.
a chisel with a blade splayed toward the edge, used for cutting bricks.

Carpentry. a horizontal timber on a post for lessening the free span of a beam.

a structural member on which one end of a bridge truss rests.

verb (used with object)

to support with or as with a pillow or cushion.

to add to, support, or uphold (sometimes followed by up): They bolstered their morale by singing. He bolstered up his claim with new evidence.

Nearby words

Origin of bolster

before 1000; Middle English bolstre (noun), Old English bolster; cognate with Old Norse bolstr, Dutch bolster, German Polster

SYNONYMS FOR bolster

10. strengthen, sustain, aid, reinforce, fortify.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR bolster ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formsbol·ster·er, nounun·bol·ster, verb (used with object)un·bol·stered, adjective

Synonym study

1. See cushion.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for bolster

To bolster my case I told him we should actually call it Pursuito, like Vertigo or Psycho.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Low-income work was a necessity, either to make up for the absence of a man or to bolster his own low-income paycheck.
'Ghostbusters' and the Slow Emancipation of Female-Driven Comedy|Teo Bugbee|August 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Critics also argue the military assistance may be coming too late to bolster mainstream rebels.
U.S. on Alert for Al Qaeda Attack as Group Battles ISIS for Top Terrorist|Jamie Dettmer|July 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“This reduces a potential drag to the economy and will bolster growth for the remainder of 2014,” Handler notes.
The U.S. Economy Had a Hiccup, Not a Heart Attack, This Year|Daniel Gross|May 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Having a major movie backing up the program can only bolster its relationship with MLB.
The Aftermath of Disney’s ‘Million Dollar Arm’|Alex Suskind|May 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Alf fell heavily on his side, and we roared with laughter; but he was up in a moment, and rushed at Drake with a bolster.
Captain Mugford|W.H.G. Kingston
And we bolster up our satisfaction by pointing to some mistake of logic or some puerility of statement.
A Preface to Politics|Walter Lippmann
A further search revealed a bolster, but no pillows were forthcoming.
The King's Daughters|Emily Sarah Holt
Spread it with the jam, and roll up in the form of a bolster.
The Skilful Cook|Mary Harrison
If you are preparing the bed for a stranger put the bolster and pillows back on the bed and allow the guest to arrange them later.
The Library of Work and Play: Housekeeping|Elizabeth Hale Gilman

British Dictionary definitions for bolster

bolster

/ (ˈbəʊlstə) /

verb (tr)

(often foll by up) to support or reinforce; strengthento bolster morale

to prop up with a pillow or cushion

to add padding toto bolster a dress

noun

a long narrow pillow or cushion

any pad or padded support

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

a cold chisel having a broad blade splayed towards the cutting edge, used for cutting stone slabs, etc

Derived Formsbolsterer, nounbolstering, noun, adjective

Word Origin for bolster

Old English bolster; related to Old Norse bolstr, Old High German bolstar, Dutch bulster

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012