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# buttress

noun (a buttress, buttresses); verb (buttress, buttresses, buttressed, buttressing)

«buttress» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A buttress is a thick wall or support of stone or brick built against a wall to hold it up and stop it falling outwards. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/buttress/#m1)
2. A flying buttress is an arch that reaches from a separate pillar to support a tall wall, as in Gothic cathedrals. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/buttress/#m2)
3. To buttress something is to support or strengthen it, often an argument or idea. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/buttress/#m3)
4. A buttress root is a wide, flat root that holds up a tall rainforest tree. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/buttress/#m4)

### In the lessons

In history and design lessons buttresses let medieval builders make cathedrals with tall, thin walls and big stained-glass windows (Notre-Dame, Westminster Abbey). In science lessons rainforest trees have buttress roots. In English, «buttress your argument with evidence» means support it. Phrases: flying buttress, buttress roots, buttress an argument.

### Examples

- The old church wall is held up by stone buttresses. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/buttress/#x1)
- Flying buttresses support the walls of Notre-Dame in Paris. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/buttress/#x2)
- Rainforest trees have huge buttress roots. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/buttress/#x3)
- Buttresses let builders make tall walls with big windows. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/buttress/#x4)
- She buttressed her argument with lots of facts. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/buttress/#x5)
- The castle wall had a buttress at each corner. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/buttress/#x6)
- We crawled between the buttress roots of a giant fig tree. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/buttress/#x7)

### Note

Plural buttresses. The verb is formal; in everyday talk say «support». Do not confuse with «butter».

## In Jewish tradition

In Jeremiah the word means a support of a wall or tower, here a fortress of Babylon.

**Interpretation.** The prophet describes Babylon's walls and supports falling. Tradition reads this as God's vengeance on a proud empire.

### Examples

- Shout against her round about, she hath submitted herself; her buttresses are fallen, her walls are thrown down; for it is the vengeance of the LORD, take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her. (Prophets JER.50.15, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/buttress/#x1)

### Note

Plural buttresses. The verb is formal; in everyday talk say «support». Do not confuse with «butter».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «buttress» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/buttress/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«buttress» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/buttress.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «buttress» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/buttress/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«buttress» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/buttress.html) on Mova free.