buttress Definition
- 1a structure of stone or brick built against a wall to support or reinforce it
- 2to provide support or encouragement to someone or something
Using buttress: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "buttress" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The cathedral's walls were reinforced with buttresses.
Example
The government is providing financial buttress to the struggling industry.
Example
He buttressed his argument with several examples.
Example
Her confidence was buttressed by her previous successes.
buttress Synonyms and Antonyms
Idioms Using buttress
Example
She buttressed her position with evidence from the report.
Example
The new regulations will help to buttress the healthcare system.
Example
During difficult times, she leaned on her friends as a buttress.
Phrases with buttress
an arched stone support on the outside of buildings, which allows builders to create higher walls and leave space for windows
Example
The Gothic cathedral was famous for its flying buttresses.
a large, wide-spreading root that helps to support a tree or shrub growing in shallow soil
Example
The buttress roots of the banyan tree were an impressive sight.
Example
The Hoover Dam is an example of a buttress dam.
Origins of buttress
from Old French 'botece', meaning 'support'
Summary: buttress in Brief
The term 'buttress' [ˈbʌtrɪs] refers to a structure built against a wall to support or reinforce it, or to provide support or encouragement to someone or something. It can be used as a noun or verb, as in 'The cathedral's walls were reinforced with buttresses' and 'He buttressed his argument with several examples.' 'Buttress' also extends into phrases like 'flying buttress,' and idioms like 'buttress one's position,' denoting strengthening one's argument or position.
