buttress — n Buttress, pier, abutment are architectural terms for auxiliary structures designed to serve as a prop, shore, or support for a wall (as of a building). A buttress is a structure (as of masonry) projecting from and supporting a wall and often… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
Buttress — But tress, n. [OE. butrasse, boterace, fr. F. bouter to push; cf. OF. bouteret (nom. sing. and acc. pl. bouterez) buttress. See {Butt} an end, and cf. {Butteris}.] 1. (Arch.) A projecting mass of masonry, used for resisting the thrust of an arch … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Buttress — • A pilaster, pier, or body of masonry projecting beyond the main face of the wall and intended to strengthen the wall at particular points Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Buttress Buttress … Catholic encyclopedia
buttress — [bu′tris] n. [ME boteras < OFr bouterez, pl. of bouteret, flying buttress < buter: see BUTT2] 1. a projecting structure, generally of brick or stone, built against a wall to support or reinforce it 2. anything like a buttress; support or… … English World dictionary
Buttress — But tress, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Buttressed} (?); p. pr. & vb. n. {Buttressing}.] To support with a buttress; to prop; to brace firmly. [1913 Webster] To set it upright again, and to prop and buttress it up for duration. Burke. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
buttress — early 14c., from O.Fr. botrez flying buttress, lit. buttressed, pl. of boteret support, from bouter to thrust against, of Frankish origin (Cf. O.N. bauta to strike, beat ), from P.Gmc. *butan, from PIE root *bhau to strike (see BUTT (Cf … Etymology dictionary
buttress — [n] brace, support abutment, column, mainstay, pier, prop, reinforcement, shore, stanchion, stay, strut, underpinning; concept 440 buttress [v] support, bolster back up, beef up*, brace, build up, bulwark, carry, jack up, jazz up*, prop,… … New thesaurus
buttress — index bear (support), bulwark, corroborate, document, mainstay, maintain (sustain), reaffirm … Law dictionary
buttress — ► NOUN 1) a projecting support built against a wall. 2) a projecting portion of a hill or mountain. ► VERB 1) support with buttresses. 2) support or strengthen. ORIGIN from Old French ars bouterez thrusting arch … English terms dictionary
Buttress — This article is about an architectural structure. For the large tree root, see Buttress root. For slang, see buttocks. A buttress is an architectural structure built against (a counterfort) or projecting from a wall which serves to support or… … Wikipedia
buttress — buttressless, adj. buttresslike, adj. /bu tris/, n. 1. any external prop or support built to steady a structure by opposing its outward thrusts, esp. a projecting support built into or against the outside of a masonry wall. 2. any prop or support … Universalium
