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more about bolster
bolster |
4 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Bolster \Bol"ster\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Bolstered}; p. pr & vb n. {Bolstering}.] 1. To support with a bolster or pillow. --S. Sharp. 2. To support, hold up or maintain with difficulty or unusual effort; -- often with up To bolster baseness. --Drayton. Shoddy inventions designed to bolster up a factitious pride. --Compton Reade. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Bolster \Bol"ster\, n. [AS. bolster; akin to Icel. b?lstr, Sw & Dan. bolster, OHG. bolstar, polstar, G. polster; from the same root as E. bole stem, bowl hollow vessel. Cf {Bulge}, {Poltroon}.] 1. A long pillow or cushion, used to support the head of a person lying on a bed; -- generally laid under the pillows. And here I'll fling the pillow, there the bolster, This way the coverlet, another way the sheets. --Shak. 2. A pad, quilt, or anything used to hinder pressure, support any part of the body, or make a bandage sit easy upon a wounded part a compress. This arm shall be a bolster for thy head. --Gay. 3. Anything arranged to act as a support, as in various forms of mechanism, etc 4. (Saddlery) A cushioned or a piece part of a saddle. 5. (Naut.) a A cushioned or a piece of soft wood covered with tarred canvas, placed on the trestletrees and against the mast, for the collars of the shrouds to rest on to prevent chafing. b Anything used to prevent chafing. 6. A plate of iron or a mass of wood under the end of a bridge girder, to keep the girder from resting directly on the abutment. 7. A transverse bar above the axle of a wagon, on which the bed or body rests. 8. The crossbeam forming the bearing piece of the body of a railway car the central and principal cross beam of a car truck. 9. (Mech.) the perforated plate in a punching machine on which anything rests when being punched. 10. (Cutlery) a That part of a knife blade which abuts upon the end of the handle. b The metallic end of a pocketknife handle. --G. Francis. 11. (Arch.) The rolls forming the ends or sides of the Ionic capital. --G. Francis. 12. (Mil.) A block of wood on the carriage of a siege gun, upon which the breech of the gun rests when arranged for transportation. Note: [See Illust. of {Gun carriage}.] {Bolster work} (Arch.), members which are bellied or curved outward like cushions, as in friezes of certain classical styles. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: bolster n : a pillow that is often put across a bed underneath the regular pillows [syn: {long pillow}] v 1: support; of morale, theories, etc [syn: {support}, {bolster up}] 2: prop up with a pillow or bolster 3: add padding to "pad the seat of the chair" [syn: {pad}] From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]: Bolster The Hebrew word _kebir_, rendered pillow" in 1 Sam. 19:13, 16, but in Revised Version marg. quilt" or "network," probably means some counterpane or veil intended to protect the head of the sleeper. A different Hebrew word (meraashoth') is used for bolster" (1 Sam. 26:7, 11, 16). It is rightly rendered in Revised Version "at his head." In Gen. 28:11, 18 the Authorized Version renders it "for his pillows," and the Revised Version "under his head." In Ezek. 13:18, 20 another Hebrew word kesathoth is used properly denoting cushions" or "pillows," as so rendered both in the Authorized and the Revised Version.
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