prop

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. An object placed beneath or against a structure to keep it from falling or shaking; a support.
2. n. One that serves as a means of support or assistance.
3. v. To support by placing something beneath or against; shore up.
4. n. A theatrical property.
5. n. Informal A propeller.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A stick, staff, pole, rod, beam, or other rigid thing used to sustain an incumbent weight; that on which anything rests for support; a support; a stay; a fulcrum: usually applied to something not forming a part of the object supported: as, a prop for vines; a prop for an old wall.
2. n. In botany, same as fulcrum, 3.
3. n. plural Legs.
4. n. Synonyms See staff.
5. To support or prevent from falling by placing something under or against: as, to prop a roof or wall.
6. To support by standing under or against: as, a pillar props a roof; beams prop a wall.
7. To support or sustain in a general sense: as, to prop a failing cause.
8. To help; assist.
9. To stop or pull up suddenly; balk: said of a horse or other beast.
10. n. A shell used in the game of props. See props.
11. n. An abbreviation of proposition; properly.
12. n. An unexpected stop, as of a horse.

Wiktionary

1. n. A proposition, especially on an election-day ballot.
2. n. An object placed against or under another, to support it; anything that supports.
3. n. rugby The player who is next to the hooker in a scrum.
4. n. One of the seashells in the game of props.
5. v. transitive To support or shore up something.
6. n. theater, film An item placed on a stage or set to create a scene or scenario in which actors perform. Contraction of "property".
7. n. The propeller of an aircraft.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. A shell, used as a die. See props.
2. v. To support, or prevent from falling, by placing something under or against; ; (Fig.) to sustain; to maintain.
3. n. That which sustains an incumbent weight; that on which anything rests or leans for support; a support; a stay.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a support placed beneath or against something to keep it from shaking or falling
2. n. any movable articles or objects used on the set of a play or movie
3. n. a propeller that rotates to push against air
4. v. support by placing against something solid or rigid