bolster

American  

[bohl-ster] / ˈboʊl stər /

noun

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

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

3. any pillow, cushion, or pad.

4. Nautical.

   1. Also called bolster plate.  a circular casting on the side of a vessel, through which an anchor chain passes.

   2. a timber used as a temporary support.

   3. a beam for holding lines or rigging without chafing.

   4. a bag filled with buoyant material, fitted into a small boat.

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

6. Masonry.

   1. a timber or the like connecting two ribs of a centering.

   2. a chisel with a blade splayed toward the edge, used for cutting bricks.

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

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

---

verb (used with object)

1. to support with or as with a pillow or cushion.

2. to add to, support, strengthen, or uphold (sometimes followed byup ).

   They bolstered their morale by singing.

   He bolstered up his claim with new evidence.

   Synonyms:

   fortify, reinforce, aid, sustain, strengthen

bolster British  

/ ˈbəʊlstə /

verb

1. (often foll by up) to support or reinforce; strengthen

   to bolster morale

2. to prop up with a pillow or cushion

3. to add padding to

   to bolster a dress

---

noun

1. a long narrow pillow or cushion

2. any pad or padded support

3. 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

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

Related Words

See cushion.

Other Word Forms

• bolsterer noun
• bolstering noun
• unbolster verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of bolster

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

Related Words

• aid
• boost
• buoy
• buttress
• cushion
• help
• maintain
• reinforce
• shore up
• strengthen
• support
• sustain