different between means vs support

English

Etymology

See mean (“method or course of action used to achieve some result”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mi?nz/
• Rhymes: -i?nz

Noun

means

1. plural of mean

means (plural means)

1. An instrument or condition for attaining a purpose.

   A car is a means of transport.

means pl (plural only) (uncountable)

1. Resources; riches.

   He was living beyond his means.

Usage notes

Frequently contrasted with end (“goal”), as in “a means to an end”. Similar contrast is process vs. product.

Synonyms

• wherewithal

Translations

Verb

means

1. Third-person singular simple present indicative form of mean

Anagrams

• Mensa, Seman, amens, manes, manse, mensa, mesna, names, namés, neams, ñames

Latin

Etymology

Present active participle of me? (“go along, traverse”)

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /?me.ans/, [?meä??s?]
• (Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /?me.ans/, [?m???ns]

Participle

me?ns (genitive meantis); third-declension one-termination participle

1. going along, passing, traversing

Declension

Third-declension participle.

¹When used purely as an adjective.

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /s??p??t/, [s??p???t]
• (General American) IPA^(key): /s??p??t/, [s??p???t], [s??p?o?t]
• (rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger) IPA^(key): /s??po(?)?t/
• (non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger) IPA^(key): /s??po?t/
• Rhymes: -??(?)t
• Hyphenation: sup?port

Etymology 1

From Middle English supporten, from Old French supporter, from Latin support?. Displaced Old English underwreþian and Old English fultum.

Verb

support (third-person singular simple present supports, present participle supporting, simple past and past participle supported)

2. (transitive) To keep from falling.

3. (transitive) To answer questions and resolve problems regarding something sold.

5. (transitive) To back a cause, party, etc., mentally or with concrete aid.

6. (transitive) To help, particularly financially.
7. To verify; to make good; to substantiate; to establish; to sustain.
   • 1754, Jonathan Edwards, The Freedom of the Will

     to urge such arguments, as though they were sufficient to support and demonstrate a whole scheme of moral philosophy

8. (transitive) To serve, as in a customer-oriented mindset; to give support to.

9. (transitive) To be designed (said of machinery, electronics, or computers, or their parts, accessories, peripherals, or programming) to function compatibly with or provide the capacity for.

10. (transitive) To be accountable for, or involved with, but not responsible for.

11. (archaic) To endure without being overcome; bear; undergo; to tolerate.

    • This fierce demeanour and his insolence / The patience of a god could not support.

    • 1881, Robert Louis Stevenson, Virginibus Puerisque:

      For a strong affection such moments are worth supporting, and they will end well; for your advocate is in your lover's heart and speaks her own language […]

12. To assume and carry successfully, as the part of an actor; to represent or act; to sustain.

Synonyms

• (to keep from falling): underprop, uphold, stut

Antonyms

• (to back a cause, party, etc.): oppose

Derived terms

• supportable
• supported
• supportive

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English support, from Anglo-Norman and Middle French support. Displaced Old English underwreþung.

Noun

support (countable and uncountable, plural supports)

1. (sometimes attributive) Something which supports.

2. Financial or other help.
3. Answers to questions and resolution of problems regarding something sold.

4. (mathematics) in relation to a function, the set of points where the function is not zero, or the closure of that set.
5. (fuzzy set theory) A set whose elements are at least partially included in a given fuzzy set (i.e., whose grade of membership in that fuzzy set is strictly greater than zero).

6. Evidence.

7. (computing) Compatibility and functionality for a given product or feature.

8. An actor playing a subordinate part with a star.
9. An accompaniment in music.
10. (gymnastics) Clipping of support position.
11. (structural analysis) Horizontal, vertical or rotational support of structures: movable, hinged, fixed. (Can we add an example for this sense?)

Antonyms

• (mathematics): kernel

Hyponyms

• moral support
• (answers to questions and resolution of problems regarding something sold): first-level support, second-level support, third-level support
• (military): combat support

Derived terms

• support act
• support group

Translations

French

Etymology

From the verb supporter.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sy.p??/

Noun

support m (plural supports)

1. support
2. base
3. (heraldry) supporter

Further reading

• “support” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).