Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb archaic Past participle of uphold

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

up- +‎ holden

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word upholden.

Examples

  • Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.

    Villaraigosa And Nunez Cut And Run - Video Report 2006

  • Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.

    Probably Just One Of Those Funny Coincidences 2006

  • Lo ye all Englishmen, see ye not what a mischief here was! for he that was the most king and knight of the world, and most loved the fellowship of noble knights, and by him they were all upholden, now might not these Englishmen hold them content with him.

    Le Morte d'Arthur: Sir Thomas Malory's book of King Arthur and of his noble knights of the Round table 2003

  • Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.

    Job 4. 1999

  • Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.

    Proverbs 20. 1999

  • He was seated on the Treasury-bench between his Attorney and Solicitor General, the two pillars of the law and state, magis pares quam similes; and the minister might indulge in a short slumber, whilst he was upholden on either hand by the majestic sense of Thurlow, and the skilful eloquence of Wedderburne.

    Memoirs of My Life and Writings Gibbon, Edward, 1737-1794 1994

  • If once our Government come to be upholden by the votes of those who should be corrected or ejected by it, and the worst men be friends to it because it is a friend to them in their ungodliness, we shall then engage the Lord against it, and he will appear as engaged against us.

    The Reformed Pastor 1615-1691 1974

  • Lo all ye Englishmen, see ye not what a mischief here was, for Arthur was the most king and knight of the world, and most loved the fellowship of noble knights, and by him they were all upholden.

    Stories of King Arthur and His Knights Retold from Malory's "Morte dArthur" U. Waldo Cutler

  • "Ahaback and Desra, the wicked enchanters who have upholden thy rebellious brother, are dead; the army of Ahubal is in the utmost consternation; and the friends of the Sultan wish to see thee hunting thine enemies, as the lion hunts the wild asses in the forest."

    Eastern Tales by Many Story Tellers

  • As you love your welfares therefore, follow no more this vein, but content yourselves with that you have already, or else seek honest means whereby to increase your livelihoods; for I love not learning so ill that I will impair the revenues of any one house by a penny, whereby it may be upholden.

    Of Universities. Chapter XVIII. [1577, Book II., Chapter 6; 1587, Book II., Chapter 3 1909

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.