1431 in M. Sellers York Memorandum Bk. (1912) I. 63 The forfetes..shalbe employed..to the craft to the supporting of their pageant and othere chargez.

1543 ( Chron. J. Hardyng (1812) 340 To the pore supportyng.

1585 T. Washington tr. N. de Nicolay Nauigations Turkie iii. vi. 79 All other thinges necessary for the supporting of his house & estate.

1646 Rec. Kirk Session of Alyth 6 Dec. in Sc. Notes & Queries (1898) 12 61 Ther was collectit be the deacones 5 lib. 6 sh...for the supporting of the Burghe of Cullan.

1697 F. Scott Let. to Lord High Chancellor 22 Dec. in Orig. Papers & Lett. Scots Company trading to Afr. & Indies (1700) 15 Our Company is establish'd with such ample Privileges and Immunities as were thought most proper for encouraging both Natives and Foreigners to joyn in the carrying on, supporting and advancement of our Trade.

1731 Gentleman's Mag. Feb. 87/2 They propose to reserve a certain proportion of land in every township, and a certain small proportion of labour from every man..and to apply the produce..on the supporting of the Colony.

1773 in London Mag. (1774) Dec. 583/1 Among these rights is the supporting of the officers of the crown by grants from the assembly.

1820 W. Irving Sketch Bk. (ed. 2) I. 241 A dying landlord..endeavoured to make his peace with heaven, by bequeathing the tavern to St. Michael's Church, Crooked Lane, toward the supporting of a chaplain.

1857 J. M. Mackie Life of Tai-ping-wang xxxv. 206 But what with the money actually applied to the raising and supporting of troops,..the imperial treasury was at a low ebb.

1873 E. P. Roe What can she Do? xv. 242 The probabilities are that she will sink into that worst phase of feminine drudgery, the supporting of a husband, who though able, will not work.

1905 Pop. Sci. Monthly Mar. 473 Great numbers of them are unable to earn a living even for themselves; while the supporting of a highly educated woman, with her thousand and one requirements, is simply out of the question.

1942 P. J. Ketrick in R. J. Deferrari Ess. Catholic Educ. in U.S. iv. 377 The difficulties resulting from the founding and supporting of a complete system of schools separate from the state were gigantic in themselves.

1994 J. Conniff Useful Cobbler v. 119 The raising and supporting of professional armies and navies.

c1449 R. Pecock Repressor (1860) 338 The endewing ȝouun to the brigge of Londoun into the supporting of his contynuel appeiring [= impairing].

a1450 ( Libel Eng. Policy (Laud) in T. Wright Polit. Poems & Songs (1861) II. 163 To Fflaundres passe forth bye, They schulde not be suffrede..Ffor supportynge of oure cruelle enmyes.

a1525 (?1421) Coventry Leet Bk. (1907) I. 36 Be consideracion of the good & greable seruis þat they haue done yow, and purposen to contynew..to graunt hem a reward..in supportyng of hur honestye.

1530 J. Palsgrave Lesclarcissement 278/2 Supportyng, assistence, support.

1565 W. Allen Def. & Declar. Doctr. Purgatory f. 11 For whiche plaine supporting of vndoubted wickednesse S. Hierom callethe theime often, Christian Epicures, boulsterers of sinne.

1607 Mr George Blackwel his Answeres 28 The saide Iesuites doe trauaile for supporting of the English cause.

1684 J. Bunyan Pilgrim's Progress 2nd Pt. 184 All things must be managed here, to the supporting of the weak, as well as to the warning of the Unruly. View more context for this quotation

1741 Scots Mag. 8/1 It was the supporting of such measures, or at least preventing the authors of them from being punished, that made this house forfeit its character.

1778 W. Woodford Let. 4 Oct. in G. Washington Papers (2008) Revolutionary War Ser. XVII. 262 The Enemy..are never out of supporting distance, of A Battalion or two of Light Infantry.

1836 Brit. Mag. & Monthly Reg. 1 Nov. 599 Let the clergy, above all, try what a vigorous supporting of the King's letter, by appeals from the pulpit, may effect.

1869 E. A. Freeman Hist. Norman Conquest III. App. E. 623 The proposing and supporting of opposing candidates.

1903 G. Grenfell Let. 29 July in R. Benedetto Presbyterian Reformers in Central Afr. (1996) ii. 186 It is evident, I think, that Mr. Morrison..had for his chief purpose..the supporting of his application for a zone of three kilometers round his station where people should be largely exempt from taxation & entirely so from conscription.

1961 A. Banani Modernization of Iran i. 11 The Anglo-Russian agreement of 1907..and the events that followed—the supporting of the Shah in revoking the Constitution,..and the ruthless policies of the Russians in dealing with the constitutionalists in Azerbaijan—awoke genuine nationalistic feeling among the Iranians.

2003 J. Skrzypek & A. Ganczarski Anisotropic Behaviour of Damaged Materials Introd. p. x Thanks are addressed to: Prof. Z. Mróz..and Prof. W. Nowacki..for their invaluable supporting of the idea of the ABDM Symposium and the present monograph.

1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry ii. f. 83^v Next vnto cuttyng, foloweth the proppyng, or supportyng of the Uine.

1599 R. Linche Fountaine Anc. Fiction sig. Xiiij Thus betweene falling, and a weake supporting of himselfe, hee reelingly wauered and mooued to and fro.

1646 Sir T. Browne Pseudodoxia Epidemica iv. vii. 196 The lifting or supporting of persons inebriated. View more context for this quotation

1709 T. Robinson Ess. Nat. Hist. Westmorland & Cumberland 31 The Roof of the Colliery will not stand without supporting.

1726 G. Leoni tr. L. B. Alberti Architecture I. 35/2 Very improper and unfaithful in supporting of great Weights.

1797 J. Walker Elem. Geogr. (ed. 3) ii. viii. 136 The legs of other animals, and particularly of man, have their bones more solid for supporting of weight.

1827 M. Faraday Chem. Manip. ii. 42 The tubes..will often want supporting.

1866 J. C. Jeaffreson Life R. Stephenson (ed. 2) II. ii. 35 The abutments were of insufficient strength, and the bridge subsequently required supporting.

1918 Rotarian Dec. 253/1 A certain skill in the staunching of blood, the extraction of arrows, the binding up of wounds, the supporting of broken limbs by splints and the like,..has been common to men everywhere.

1957 J. H. Parry in J. O. Lindsay New Cambr. Mod. Hist. VII. xxi. 493 The supply of liquid capital was insufficient to finance mining operations adequately, and to provide the machinery needed for the drainage and supporting of deep mines.

1992 Garden Answers Jan. 83/1 (advt.) The berries are of good size and flavour. The canes are short and sturdy and should not need supporting.

1608 A. Willet Hexapla in Exodum x. 121 In those daies I will cause the sunne to go downe at noone, and I will darken the earth in the cleare day..The supporting [1633 suppressing] of the light of the sunne, the priuative cause, and the bringing of darknesse vpon the aire, the positiue cause.

1579 E. Hake Newes out of Powles Churchyarde newly Renued vi. sig. Fv These be supporting purueyors for Papistes nowe supprest. These ranckly feede the pamperd Swyne vpstalled in their nest.

1604 W. Herbert Prophesie of Cadwallader sig. E4 Fury awakes the murthred Lions whelpe, And like poore Hector his deceased sire, Craues of his kinsemen their supporting helpe.

1795 W. Mitford Hist. Greece (ed. 3) II. xii. 403 The able Myronides..cut in pieces the detachment employed to erect the trophy, and then attacking the supporting army, put it completely to rout.

1799 Instr. & Regulations Cavalry (ed. 3) 372 The supporting detachments, from which the skirmishers are advanced.

1829 G. R. Gleig Chelsea Pensioners II. viii. 187 There was no necessity on the morning of the 18th for any particular exertion of authority in order to get both the pickets and the supporting battalion under arms.

1865 H. C. Fletcher Hist. Amer. War II. x. 251 Vainly did the Federal officers endeavour to deploy their men under fire; twice indeed did they advance, but A. P. Hill and Early drove them back, the latter following them across the plain, until the supporting artillery opened on and repulsed the pursuers.

1892 Pall Mall Gaz. 26 Sept. 5/1 A supporting party was taken as far as the Humboldt Glacier, where they turned back, and Mr. Peary and Mr. Astrup alone went on.

1930 H. Lamb Crusades xxx. 188 Their retreat was cut off, and their supporting fleet scattered behind them.

1970 J. Albright in J. Albright et al. Seven Firefights in Vietnam ii. 44 A 57-mm. recoilless rifle farther up the hill..and an 82-mm. mortar deep in the jungle were to provide supporting fire.

2006 J. W. Lennox et al. Soccer Skills & Drills i. 4 Forwards often receive a long ball played up to them and must maintain possession until supporting teammates can arrive to help.

1591 B. Chamberlaine Serm. preached at Farington sig. B4^v He [sc. God] is saide to be forgetful, when for a time he he withdraweth his supporting hand.

c1610 J. Norden Speculum Brit.: Cornwall (1728) 91 The force of the water, which depriued them of the earth and other subportinge meanes.

1669 T. Allin Jrnl. 2 Nov. (1940) (modernized text) II. 128 We were all day in changing our supporting masts, outliggers, and refitting our blocks.

1765 J. Brown Christian Jrnl. 94 Had I scarce adieued her supporting arms, when I began to feast on his love?

1789 W. Cowper Stanzas 14 Faith's supporting rod.

1834 J. S. Macaulay Treat. Field Fortification 128 The number of supporting bodies necessary to form a bridge.

1880 C. E. Bessey Bot. vii. 89 Certain inner cells..become modified into sclerenchyma, or some other supporting tissue.

1883 Pall Mall Gaz. 17 Mar. 10/2 The supporting arch underneath it having given way.

1916 H. J. Beauley tr. M. Emmanuel Antique Greek Dance 101 To execute the Battement, quickly move the active leg away from the supporting leg, and then bring them together again.

1951 E. Wendt tr. S. E. Rasmussen Towns & Buildings 191 Prior to Le Corbusier, many buildings had been constructed with an interior supporting skeleton, either of steel or reinforced concrete.

1994 Architect's Jrnl. 19 Jan. 16/2 The supporting structure for the pitched glass roof is a minimalist steel frame.

1681 J. Flavell Method of Grace xxii. 382 These supporting hopes the Lord sees necessary to encourage industry in the use of means.

1705 G. Stanhope Paraphr. Epist. & Gospels I. 46 The supporting Expectation of the like Rewards of our Sufferings.

a1787 J. Brown Posthumous Wks. (1797) 180 He must carefully show them how Christ is their supporting and securing way, and only medium of their access to, and fellowship with God.

1807 J. Southcott Let. in Acct. Trials on Bills of Exchange 14 By doing so they must go on to their own destruction, and be supporting of vice.

1834 S. T. Coleridge Table-talk (1836) 320 The supporting assurance of a reconciled God, who will not withdraw his spirit from me in the conflict.

1871 ‘M. Legrand’ Cambr. Freshman 25 A remark..to the effect that ‘there was something very supporting about a glass of sherry’.

1893 Westm. Gaz. 18 Feb. 8/1 A collapse in the entire market was only prevented by some strong supporting orders in such stocks as Milwaukees.

1934 T. F. Woodley Thaddeus Stevens vi. v. 515 In his supporting speech, he put himself flatly on record in favor of ‘negro suffrage in every rebel state’.

1972 M. Roff et al. Social Adjustment & Personality Devel. in Children vi. 114 A very supporting family that does things together.

2006 in A. K. Vaidya Globalization i. 28/2 It was not at all clear that the United States was supporting of Britain's stance.

1763 J. Brandon Sermons 20 Nor has he the Consolatory Testimony of the Holy Spirit, or the Supporting Evidence of a good Conscience.

1847 Brit. Mag. & Monthly Reg. 1 Oct. 425 Is it asserted, so as by Dr. Gieseler and Mr. Arnold after him, not without a certain supporting authority in Petrus Siculus and Photius, that the Paulikians held such an unscriptural dualism, as to believe [etc.].

1897 M. Kingsley Trav. W. Afr. 525 This bore out the theory..[but] in the Bantu case I did not hear of such a supporting incident happening.

1947 Jrnl. Bible & Relig. 15 75/2 The witness of history and archeology presents a vast array of supporting data.

2009 J. A. Coyne Why Evol. is True i. 18 Evolution was a theory..when first proposed by Darwin, and since 1859 has graduated to ‘facthood’ as more and more supporting evidence has piled up.

1770 C. Milne Bot. Dict. sig. A24/2 The lower part of the stem, which is detached from the supporting plant, and receives no part of the nourishment, dries up.

1830 E. C. Hewitt Meditations ii. 14 Each branch and tenderest bough of this dear tree Supplies the hungry with supporting food.

1856 Dublin Q. Jrnl. Med. Sci. 1 Nov. 428 The amount would be so paltry as to be more a mockery than a supporting pension.

1897 M. Kingsley Trav. W. Afr. 51 In Spanish possessions alone is a supporting allowance made to missionaries.

1900 B. D. Jackson Gloss. Bot. Terms Supporting Plant, a plant upon or in which another grows; a host plant.

1920 T. Woody Early Quaker Educ. in Pennsylvania ix. 179 Parts of the school buildings were at times used as tenant property thus affording a supporting income.

1961 H. S. Becker et al. Boys in White iv. 54 Most public medical schools draw the overwhelming majority of their students from the supporting state.

2010 J. Jarrett Rulers & Ruled in Frontier Catalonia ii. 118 The castle must have had some supporting allotment of land for its holders' upkeep.

1863 Hartford Press in Daily Palladium (New Haven, Connecticut) 7 Jan. The performance was very satisfactory, the leading character being sustained perfectly, and the supporting parts taken with the average ability.

1908 P. Wilstach Richard Mansfield xi. 127 In the days of struggling for bread and for position on the stage he lived in an agony of unrest as a supporting player compelled to interpret the point of view of another stage manager.

1921 Life 10 Mar. 358/1 The supporting cast is inadequate, and the star..is somewhat more than that. She is woefully unimpressive.

1947 M. Gilbert Close Quarters vii. 108 I reached the cinema in time for the beginning of the supporting picture.

1953 R. Lehmann Echoing Grove 36 I played the lead, and it was big stuff; supporting roles are less rewarding.

1977 Rolling Stone 21 Apr. 31/3 Blondie begins to seek out that untapped audience with a supporting slot on Iggy Pop's American tour.

2005 Voice 4 July (24 Seven Suppl.) 2/2 Surely artists who are that successful don't go on to become supporting artists for lesser-established artists?

a1774 O. Goldsmith Surv. Exper. Philos. (1776) I. xv. 217 Suppose the beam, wavering at every touch but still balanced upon the point, to be..one yard long on one side of the supporting point..and two yards long on the other.

1829 London Encycl. XX. 213/2 In modern galleys,..the oars, though the supporting point, or row-lock port, is as near the water-line as possible, are forty-four feet long.

1892 F. Irwin Notes Fortif. (ed. 2) 82 In preparing a position for defence, certain supporting points or pivots would be selected.

1954 C. A. Dixon & O. Heilbrunn Communist Guerilla Warfare 215 Contact between the supporting points will be maintained by guards and reconnaissance units.

2009 S. Kapp & J. A. Miller in P. F. Pasquina & R. A. Cooper Care of Combat Amputee xx. 571/1 The pelvis can be described as a lever with a fulcrum, or supporting point, located lateral of the ischium.

a1664 I. Ambrose Media (1737) xvi. 330/1 Christ is not only present, but supportingly present with his in their Sufferings.

1839 Liberator (Boston) 5 July 107/4 We are mortified that we don't edit it [sc. the newspaper] with such fire that the enemy himself should come and supportingly gaze at the light of it.

1895 G. Meredith Amazing Marriage II. xl. 2176 His emancipation from sentiment inspired the genial mood to tease. Women, having to encounter a male adept at the weapon for the purpose, must be either voluble or supportingly proud to keep the skin from shrinking.

1896 F. H. Burnett Lady of Qual. xiii. 196 He gave her his arm and drew her..supportingly away.

2006 Prince George (Brit. Columbia) Citizen (Nexis) 6 Jan. 4 Like loyal pets, we supportingly sit at home while our representatives court the rest of Canada.