Verb

To hold up; to lift on high; to elevate.

* '>citation

To keep erect; to support; to sustain; to keep from falling; to maintain.

*

*

* {{quote-book

, year=1872 , year_published=2009 , edition=HTML , editor= , author=James De Mille , title=The Cryptogram , chapter= citation , genre= , publisher=The Gutenberg Project , isbn= , page= , passage=Uttering such broken ejaculations Mrs. Hart burst into a passion of tears, and only Lord Chetwynde's strong arms prevented her from falling. / He upheld her. }}

To support by approval or encouragement.

* 1748 . . Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral. London: Oxford University Press, 1973. § 18:

but there was still a connexion upheld among the different ideas, which succeeded each other.

Verb

(enforc)

(obsolete) To strengthen (a castle, town etc.) with extra troops, fortifications etc.

(obsolete) To intensify, make stronger, add force to.

(obsolete, reflexive) To exert oneself, to try hard.

*, Bk.VII:

*:I pray you enforce youreselff at that justis that ye may be beste, for my love.

To give strength or force to; to affirm, to emphasize.

:The victim was able to enforce his evidence against the alleged perpetrator.

(archaic) To compel, oblige (someone or something); to force.

*, I.2.4.iv:

*:Uladislaus the Second, King of Poland, and Peter Dunnius, Earl of Shrinehad been hunting late, and were enforced to lodge in a poor cottage.

*1899 , E. OE. Somerville and Martin Ross, Some Experiences of an Irish R.M.'', Great Uncle McCarthy :

*:In a few minutes I was stealthily groping my way down my own staircase, with a box of matches in my hand, enforced by scientific curiosity, but none the less armed with a stick.

To keep up, impose or bring into effect something, not necessarily by force.

:The police are there to enforce the law.

(obsolete) To make or gain by force; to force.

:to enforce a passage

*Spenser

*:enforcing furious way

(obsolete) To put in motion or action by violence; to drive.

*Shakespeare

*:As swift as stones / Enforced from the old Assyrian slings.

(obsolete) To give force to; to strengthen; to invigorate; to urge with energy.

:to enforce arguments or requests

*Burke

*:enforcing sentiment of the thrust humanity

(obsolete) To urge; to ply hard; to lay much stress upon.

*Shakespeare

*:Enforce him with his envy to the people.

To prove; to evince.

:(Hooker)