pillar
Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
Related to pillar: Pillar procedure
pil·lar
(pĭl′ər)n.
1.
a. A slender, freestanding, vertical support; a column.
b. Such a structure or one similar to it used for decoration.
2. One who occupies a central or responsible position: a pillar of the state.
tr.v. pil·lared, pil·lar·ing, pil·lars
Idiom: To support or decorate with pillars or a pillar.
from pillar to post
From one place to another; hither and thither.
[Middle English, from Old French pilier, from Medieval Latin pīlāre, from Latin pīla.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
pillar
(ˈpɪlə)n
1. (Architecture) an upright structure of stone, brick, metal, etc, that supports a superstructure or is used for ornamentation
2. something resembling this in shape or function: a pillar of stones; a pillar of smoke.
3. (Mountaineering) a tall, slender, usually sheer rock column, forming a separate top
4. a prominent supporter: a pillar of the Church.
5. from pillar to post from one place to another
vb
(Architecture) (tr) to support with or as if with pillars
[C13: from Old French pilier, from Latin pīla; see pile1]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
pil•lar
(ˈpɪl ər)n.
1. an upright shaft or structure, of stone, brick, or other material, relatively slender in proportion to its height, and of any shape in section, used as a building support, or standing alone, as for a monument.
2. a natural formation resembling such a construction: a pillar of smoke.
3. any upright, supporting part; post.
4. a person who is a chief supporter of a state, institution, etc.
5. (in a mine) an isolated mass of rock or ore, usu. serving as a roof support.
v.t. 6. to provide or support with pillars.
Idioms: from pillar to post,
a. from place to place, esp. aimlessly.
b. from one bad situation or predicament to another.
pil′lared, adj.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
pillar
- gnomon, gnomonics - A gnomon is the pillar or rod that casts a shadow on a sundial; gnomonics is the art or science of dialing or of constructing dials to show the hour of the day by the shadow of a gnomon.
- pilaster - First referred to a square or rectangular column or pillar.
- pillar - From Latin pila, "pillar," the source of compile, pilaster, and pile.
- column - Its underlying notion is of "height, command, extremity," and it comes from Latin columna, "pillar," which probably came from columen/culmen, "top, summit."
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
Pillar
an upright pillar-like mass or column of air. See also column.Examples: pillar of air; of cloud, 1382; of fire, 1382; of heaven bright, 1340; of sand, 1813; of smoke, 1611; of printing type; of vapour; of water, 1702.
Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
pillar
Past participle: pillared
Gerund: pillaring
| Imperative |
|---|
| pillar |
| pillar |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. | pillar - a fundamental principle or practice; "science eroded the pillars of superstition" principle, rule - a basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct; "their principles of composition characterized all their works" pillar of Islam - (Islam) one of the five religious obligations accepted by all Muslims |
| 2. |  pillar - anything that approximates the shape of a column or tower; "the test tube held a column of white powder"; "a tower of dust rose above the horizon"; "a thin pillar of smoke betrayed their campsite"shape, form - the spatial arrangement of something as distinct from its substance; "geometry is the mathematical science of shape" columella - a small column (or structure resembling a column) that is a part of a plant or animal hoodoo - (geology) a column of weathered and unusually shaped rock; "a tall sandstone hoodoo" | |
| 3. |  pillar - a prominent supporter; "he is a pillar of the community" | |
| 4. | pillar - a vertical cylindrical structure standing alone and not supporting anything (such as a monument) obelisk - a stone pillar having a rectangular cross section tapering towards a pyramidal top structure, construction - a thing constructed; a complex entity constructed of many parts; "the structure consisted of a series of arches"; "she wore her hair in an amazing construction of whirls and ribbons" totem pole - a tribal emblem consisting of a pillar carved and painted with totemic figures; erected by Indian tribes of the northwest Pacific coast | |
| 5. | pillar - (architecture) a tall vertical cylindrical structure standing upright and used to support a structure caryatid - a supporting column carved in the shape of a person newel - the central pillar of a circular staircase pilaster - a rectangular column that usually projects about a third of its width from the wall to which it is attached piling, spile, stilt, pile - a column of wood or steel or concrete that is driven into the ground to provide support for a structure support column - a column that supports a heavy weight temple - an edifice devoted to special or exalted purposes upright, vertical - a vertical structural member as a post or stake; "the ball sailed between the uprights" architecture - the discipline dealing with the principles of design and construction and ornamentation of fine buildings; "architecture and eloquence are mixed arts whose end is sometimes beauty and sometimes use" entasis - a slight convexity in the shaft of a column; compensates for the illusion of concavity that viewers experience when the sides are perfectly straight |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
pillar
noun
1. support, post, column, piling, prop, shaft, upright, pier, obelisk, stanchion, pilaster the pillars supporting the roof
2. supporter, leader, rock, worthy, mainstay, leading light (informal), tower of strength, upholder, torchbearer My father had been a pillar of the community.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
عَمودعَمْود
pilířsloup
søjlepille
pylväspilari
stup
oszlop
súla, stólpi
柱
기둥
pilioriuspašto dėžė
pīlārsstabs
stâlp
pilier
steberslop
pelare
เสาหลัก
cột
pillar
[ˈpɪləʳ]A. N → pilar m, columna f
a pillar of smoke → una columna de humo
the Pillars of Hercules → las Columnas de Hércules
pillar of salt (Bible) → estatua f de sal
a pillar of the church (fig) → un pilar de la iglesia
to be a pillar of strength → ser firme como una roca
to go from pillar to post → ir de la Ceca a la Meca
a pillar of smoke → una columna de humo
the Pillars of Hercules → las Columnas de Hércules
pillar of salt (Bible) → estatua f de sal
a pillar of the church (fig) → un pilar de la iglesia
to be a pillar of strength → ser firme como una roca
to go from pillar to post → ir de la Ceca a la Meca
B. CPD pillar box N (Brit) → buzón m
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
pillar
[ˈpɪlər] n (ARCHITECTURE) (= column) → pilier m
a pillar of salt (BIBLE) → une statue de sel
to go from pillar to post → aller par monts et par vaux
to be sent from pillar to post → être envoyé(e) par monts et par vaux
a pillar of salt (BIBLE) → une statue de sel
to go from pillar to post → aller par monts et par vaux
to be sent from pillar to post → être envoyé(e) par monts et par vaux
[smoke, cloud, fire] → colonne f
(= mainstay) → pilier m
a pillar of the community → un pilier de la communauté
a pillar of society → un pilier de la société
a pillar of strength → un grand secours
She has been a real pillar of strength to me → Elle m'a vraiment été d'un grand secours.pillar box pillar-box n (British) → boîte f aux lettres (publique)
a pillar of the community → un pilier de la communauté
a pillar of society → un pilier de la société
a pillar of strength → un grand secours
She has been a real pillar of strength to me → Elle m'a vraiment été d'un grand secours.pillar box pillar-box n (British) → boîte f aux lettres (publique)
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
pillar
n → Säule f; pillar of salt → Salzsäule f; pillar of smoke → Rauchsäule f; the Pillars of Hercules → die Säulen pl → des Herkules; a pillar of society/the community → eine Säule or Stütze der Gesellschaft/der Gemeinschaft; from pillar to post (Brit) → von Pontius zu Pilatus
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
pillar
[ˈpɪləʳ] n (round) → colonna; (square) → pilastroa pillar of smoke → una colonna di fumo
a pillar of the church (fig) → uno dei pilastri della chiesa
to be driven from pillar to post → essere sballottato/a a destra e a manca
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
pillar
(ˈpilə) noun an upright post used in building as a support or decoration. The hall was surrounded by stone pillars.
ˈpillarbox noun a box found in public places, into which letters are posted to be collected by a postman.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
pillar
→ عَمْود sloup søjle Säule στύλος pilar pylväs pilier stup pilastro 柱 기둥 pilaar søyle filar pilar колонна pelare เสาหลัก sütun cột 柱子Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
pil·lar
n. columna, pilar.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012