Upbear

v. [UP- 4 + BEAR v.¹ 18, 21. Cf. MSw. upbăra (Sw. uppbära), MDa. upbære. Freq. in pa. pple. upborne: see UP- 5.]

  1.  trans. To bear up, support, sustain; also, to lift up, raise.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 7258. Þe post þat al þat huse vpbare Wit bath his handes he it scok.

13[?].  K. Alis., 5163. Swiþe wiȝtlych hij … swymme, Of þe water þat hij were inne Ypberande faire chynne.

1390.  Gower, Conf., III. 296. He that alle thing mai kepe … broghte him sauf upon a table, Which to the lond him hath upbore.

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 508/1. Vbberyn, or vpberyn, supporto.

c. 1470.  Henry, Wallace, IX. 1632. A thourtour bande, that all the drawcht wpbar, He cuttyt it.

a. 1550.  Lyndesay, Syde Taillis, 23. Thocht thare Rob Royallis be vpborne, I think [etc.].

1582.  Stanyhurst, Æneis, etc. (Arb.), 136. Earst the flud, vpbearing thee ship, now the cartwheele vpholdeth.

1590.  Spenser, F. Q., II. vii. 43. Many great golden pillours did vpbeare The massy roofe.

1667.  Milton, P. L., II. 403. Who shall … spread his aerie flight Upborn with indefatigable wings Over the vast abrupt.

1725.  Pope, Odyssey, V. 542. A monst’rous wave up-bore The Chief.

1784.  Cowper, Task, I. 20. Joint-stools were then created; on three legs Upborne they stood.

1831.  E. Irving, Exp. Rev., I. 60. Upbearing His person as Aaron and Hurr upbore the hands of Moses.

1870.  Morris, Earthly Par., II. III. 352. A chief’s gold ring his left arm did upbear.

1891.  Atkinson, Moorland Par., 64. Slabs of stone of sufficient solidity to upbear any loaded vchicle.

  2.  fig. To support or sustain; to exalt.

a. 1300.  E. E. Psalter lxxvii. 76. He ches Dauyd, hyne hisse; And vp-bare him all with blisse. Ibid., cxxx. 1. Vphouen es noght mi hert, Ne vpborn er mine eghen in quert.

1303.  R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 7159. He … loueþ alle þat sothfast es; Alle godenes be vp bereþ.

c. 1384.  Chaucer, H. Fame, 818. Euerych ayre other stereth More and more, and speche vpbereth.

1412–20.  Lydg., Chron. Troy, I. 4424. I wil,… vp-born with support of ȝour grace, Forþe a-complische, as I vndertook.

a. 1586.  Sidney, Ps. XXX. ii. I … was from ev’l by thee upborne.

1590.  Spenser, F. Q., II. vii. 65. Food, and sleepe, which two vpbeare, Like mightie pillours, this fraile life of man.

1630.  Drumm. of Hawth., Flowres Sion, viii. A Virgine Maide A weakling did him beare, who all vpbeares.

1829.  I. Taylor, Enthus., ix. 248. A … proof of the intrinsic power of Christianity, upbearing so ponderous a mass of error.

1876.  Lowell, Among my Bks., Ser. II. 325. His own language rarely rises above it, except when it is upborn by the thought.