Forms: α. 3–4 upholden, 4–6 vp-, 5–6 upholde, 5–7 vphold, 5– uphold (6 upphold); north. dial. 8–9 uphowd (8 upphoud), 9 uphod. β. 4 vp-haldene; north. and Sc. 5 vpp-, uppehalde, 4, 6 vp-, uphald, 9 uppal, 8–9 uphaud, 9 uphadd. [UP- 4. Cf. OFris. op-, uphalda (WFris. ophâlde), MLG. upholden (LG. upholden, -hollen), (M)Du. ophouden, MSw. up-, ophalda, -halla, -holda, etc., Da. opholde, MHG. ûfhalten (G. aufhalten); also MSw. uppe-, oppehalda (Sw. uppehålla).]
1. trans. To support or sustain physically; to keep from falling or sinking.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 538. Hijs fete him bers up fra fall, Als þe erth vp haldes all.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 2079. Þe heuen was vp halt, bot vgly þer vnder.
1390. Gower, Conf., I. 75. He hire in hise armes fast Uphield.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., IV. 82. A lighter vyne is with a lesse Stakyng vpholde.
1483. Cath. Angl., 404/2. To Vpphalde, sustentare, supportare.
1515. Barclay, Eclogues, iv. (1570), C vi b/1. With marble pillers the building to vpholde, About be turrets of shape moste excellent.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. viii. 40. Whose feeble thighes, vnhable to vphold His pined corse, him scarse to light could beare.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit., I. 697. An Altar … which I saw there, vpholding now the Staires of an house.
1663. Bp. Patrick, Parab. Pilgr., xxxvii. The winds that blew, and the rough waves…, were no less subject to that power which upheld him, than [etc.].
1726. Leoni, Alberti’s Archit., I. 52. Coverings … must … be sufficient for upholding themselves, and their burthens.
1763. Mills, Pract. Husb., IV. 359. Poles were extended between them, and these were up-held by props.
1807. Crabbe, Par. Reg., III. 938. No more his span-girth shanks … Upheld a body of smaller size.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 47. The leading strings, which preserve and uphold the infant.
1880. Jefferies, Gt. Estate, 33. The slender stems uphold the cup-like flowers two or three inches above the surface.
2. To support, sustain, maintain, by aid or assistance; to preserve unimpaired or intact.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 140. Teke þis, heo mot ȝete þuruh hire uorbisne … ȝiuen oðre strenðe, & upholden ham, þet heo ne uallen iðe dunge of sunne.
a. 1250. Prov. Ælfred, 171. For nys no w[u]rt … þat euer mvwe þas feye furþ vp holde [Trin. Coll. MS. þe lif up helde].
c. 1320. Cast. Love, 609. A child þer is i-boren to vs,… Þat schal vp-holden his kynedome.
1389. in Eng. Gilds (1870), 110. The gilde bretherun … that this gilde furst begonne, and lengest sal vp-haldene.
1462–3. Pol. Poems (Rolls), II. 268. Falshode, myschyef, secret synne upholdyng, Whiche hathe caused … endelez langoure.
1488. Act 4 Hen. VII., c. 12 § 2. The housbondrie … wherby the Chirche of Engleind is upholden.
1542–3. Act 31 & 35 Hen. VIII., c. 10 § 1. The Citie … hathe been mainteyned and upholden by divers and sundrye handye craftes there used.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., III. iii. 106. While Life vpholds this Arme, This Arme vpholds the House of Lancaster.
1647. N. Bacon, Disc. Govt. Eng., I. i. 2. Though great Nations may be upholden by power.
1671. Milton, Samson, 892. An impious crew Of men conspiring to uphold thir state By worse than hostile deeds.
1725. De Foe, Voy. Round World (1849), 328. They had … some comforts however which might a little uphold their spirits.
1781. Cowper, Retirem., 89. Thine, and upheld by thy paternal care, This universal frame.
1838. Thirlwall, Greece, xxxv. IV. 377. Rather to take the lead in a revolution, than steadily to uphold the established order of things.
1877. Freeman, Norm. Conq. (ed. 3), II. App. 666. Malcolm continued to be powerfully upheld by English help.
absol. 1560. Bible, Isaiah lxiii. 5. I loked, & there was none to helpe, & I wondered that there was none to vpholde.
† b. To carry out, succeed in. Obs.–1
c. 1450. Cov. Myst. (Shaks. Soc.), 214. He wyl us werke ryght mekyl shame, His fals purpos if he upholde.
c. To maintain at the same level or standard.
1523. Fitzherb., Husb., § 66. That he rere two oxe-calues, and two cowe-calues,… to vpholde his flocke.
1833. Chalmers, Pol. Econ. (1849), II. 60. Such a high style of husbandry cannot possibly be upholden.
1875. Economist, 27 Feb., 260/1. Beans and peas … firmly uphold their value.
1833. Manch. Exam., 26 Nov., 4/2. The demand for yarns … has been very dull, but quotations have nevertheless been upheld.
d. To sustain spiritually.
1820. J. J. Gurney, in Reid, Life W. E. Forster (1888), I. 33. Both William and his wife were marvellously upheld.
1824. Scott, St. Ronan’s, xxxvii. God send she may not have been left to hersel’!—God send she may have been upholden!
1864. Tennyson, En. Ard., 783. Uphold me, Father, in my loneliness A little longer!
3. † a. To furnish or provide, to perform or discharge, regularly. Obs.
a. 1417. York Memo. Bk. (Surtees), I. 221. The whilk vj.s. viij.d. … sall be keped … to upholde and releve a lyght to be borne … on Corpus Cristy day.
1444. Extr. Aberd. Reg. (1844), I. 12. Williame Mathouson … sal vphald the ladymesse with uoce … ilke owke for a yher.
1539. in Abst. Protocols Town Clerks of Glasgow (1897), IV. 118. The said maister to uphald and fynd ane pryckat of wax nychtlie byrneand.
b. To maintain in good condition or in a proper state of repair.
1511. Reg. Privy Seal Scotl., I. 344/2. That the saidis landis salbe uphaldin and keipit unharmit or skaithit.
1535. Act 27 Hen. VIII., c. 22 § 1. If any Owner … shuld … occupie any suche mese or land … he shulde … uphold and susteyne the same.
1563. Reg. Privy Council Scot., I. 246. The Abbottis … wer accustomat…, upoun thair expenssis, to uphald and big the wallis.
1631. Weever, Anc. Funeral Mon., 333. This Church is vpholden in wondrous good repaire.
1701. in W. O. Blunt, Ch. Chester-le-Street (1884), 104. Paid Thos. Pearson for upholding ye bell wheels for 7 yeare.
1753. Scots Mag., April, 164/2. Provided that the city be obliged to uphold the … buildings in repair.
1816. Scott, Antiq., i. It’s Jamie Martingale that furnishes the naigs on contract, and uphauds them.
1833. Stat. 3 & 4 Wm. IV., c. 46 § 101. Every person … shall uphold and keep in proper repair the fences aforesaid.
1894. Westm. Gaz., 3 May, 2/3. He was also bound by a covenant in the lease to ‘uphold’ the premises.
c. To provide with sustenance; to support with food, etc. Now dial.
1546. Reg. Cupar Abbey, II. 36. [He] sall vphald honestlie in meit and claytht … the said Jhone Alane.
1574. Satir. Poems Reform., xlii. 360. Rentis sufficient to vphauld Ane gude number of sic Studentis.
1615. Markham, Country Contentm., I. viii. 101. The best generall foods for the ordinarie vpholding of a dogge in a good state of body.
[1684. J. S., Profit & Pleas. United, 163. The best Food for upholding a dog.]
1863. Mrs. Toogood, Spec. Yorks. Dial. (MS.). I kept my brother some time, but he was so wasteful I couldn’t uphod him any longer.
4. To support by advocacy or assent; to sustain against objection or criticism.
1485. Caxton, Paris & V. (1868), 12. Other knyghtes rise vp that mayntened and vpheld the beaute of Vyenne.
1525. Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. xlv. 153. This worde was vpholden and obserued.
1530. Palsgr., 769/1. Sythe he hath sayde it, I wyll upholde it.
1598. R. Bernard, trans. Terence, Andria, IV. iii. See that thou be readie to answer and vphold my talke.
1753–4. Richardson, Grandison, III. xxvi. 399. He does nothing but hop, skip, and dance about me, grin and make mouths; and every-body upholds him in it.
1781. Burke, Corr. (1844), II. 451. Perhaps I have wished to uphold with enthusiasm the honour and dignity of the community I belong to.
1818. Cruise, Digest (ed. 2), I. 522. The owner of the inheritance, who was interested in upholding it [sc. an arrangement].
1869. J. Martineau, Ess., II. 57. This plea … upholds a practice essentially unjust.
1890. Law Times’ Rep., LXIII. 733/2. He refused to answer that question, and was upheld in his refusal by the learned judge. Ibid. (1893), LXVIII. 444/1. On appeal to the County Court Judge … the decision of the registrar was upheld.
b. To maintain (a statement), to warrant or guarantee (a fact). Now chiefly north. dial. and Sc.
Orig. with complementary object or clause. In later usage freq. in loose construction, esp. in dialect forms (see β and Eng. Dial. Dict., s.v.). Also with indirect personal dative.
α. 1530. Palsgr., 769/1. I upholde a ware or marchaundyse to be good. Ibid. I wyll upholde hym for as sounde a horse as any is in Englande.
1583. Golding, Calvin on Deut., Pref. Ep. 2. The other side upholdeth … that it is a vilainous defiling of religion.
1653. Blithe, English Improver Impr., 86. I dare uphold one Acre would be as good as divers now are in many parts of it.
1821. Scott, Kenilw., xxix. I know that shall make Varney uphold me sober.
1853. Miss Yonge, Heir of Redclyffe, xli. He always upheld that you acted for his good.
1897. Rhoscomyl, White Rose Arno, 274. Your names’ll do for Chapel, I’ll uphold.
β. 1787. Gross, Prov. Gloss., Uphowd, to warrant.
1793. T. Scott, Poems, 357. I’se uphaud ye Owr the lugs i’ love to be.
1807. R. Anderson, Cumbld. Ball., 121. I’ll uphod ye, we’s ’gree.
1820. Scott, Monast., Introd. Ep., ‘I’se uphaud him a scholar,’ answered David.
1861. Waugh, Birtle Carter’s T., 8. Yo’d rayther ha’ loaf-brade, aw’ll uphowd yo.
1891. Barrie, Little Minister, iii. It was no sport to them, Susy, I’se uphaud.
5. To raise or lift up; to direct upwards.
a. 1400. Isumbras, 52. The knyghte felle on his knes … And bothe his handis uphelde.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 8760. With a noble sword, naked in his hond, Vp holdand on high as he þat wold stryke.
c. 1450. Songs, Carols, etc. (E.E.T.S.), 6/39. Vphold the flowr of gud Jesse, And worship it for ay bewte.
c. 1480. Henryson, Fables, Lion & Mouse, 188. Scho … baith hir handis vnto the heuin vpheld.
1513. Douglas, Æneid, Concl. 8. The bettir part of me sal be vpheild Abuif the starnis perpetualy to ryng.
1618. Rowlands, Sacred Mem., 24. With eyes vpheld To heauen, he did blesse.
1681. Dryden, Abs. & Achit., I. 595. His Hand a Vare of Justice did uphold.
1891. Farrar, Darkn. & Dawn, xxxix. They upheld their clenched hands … to plead for mercy.
