to prop up
54
3.6
- phrasal verb
- /prɑp ʌp/
:
sostener
- So does he think the Cabinet will prop him up for this long?
- prop up the government
- prop up the regime
- try to prop up
You might try to prop them up until they're gone.
- You might try to prop them up until they're gone.
- So we're going to spend trillions of dollars propping up boomers and capital.
- You have to help others and prop others up if you want to keep that job.
- Some of that money's been used to prop up the presidency.
- He did more than prop up a tottering empire.
- So hey, let's prop up revenues by cutting prices.
- Whereas in the West, they prop them up.
- You want to prop up a very weakly positioned Russia.
- And if they keep spending, maybe, maybe you could really prop up global GDP.
- OK, we're going to have to use this to prop up my mirror.
- And so it's just this way, another way to demonize women and prop up the patriarchy.
Examples
-
Are we going to work together and try to prop up old unsustainable systems?
-
You might try to prop them up until they're gone.
-
You have to help others and prop others up if you want to keep that job.
-
Someone to prop you up and help keep you on your feet.
-
I use this to prop up my mirror so I can see myself.
-
So hey, let's prop up revenues by cutting prices.
-
We must stand up to Putin and those who prop up his regime.
-
Some of that money's been used to prop up the presidency.
-
A fragile transitional government propped up by the international community is under threat from two directions.
Academic text (2011) -
I use a book to prop up my tablet so I can watch videos comfortably.
Synonyms
240
1.0
Hold up something so it does not fall
115
3.4
To support the weight of something so it does not fall
68
4.1
To hold something up by putting an object under or against it
47
7.1
To support a building or wall by placing a beam against it
41
4.1
To hold up something heavy so it does not fall
30
5.4
Support a weak thing so it does not fall or fail
4
4.8
To add padding to something to make it more comfortable
To make something strong and supported from below with extra beams
To give help to someone or something to make them stronger
Keep someone or something floating on water
Antonyms
How Supported
- Specialized
1
7.3
30
5.4
115
3.4
54
3.6
61
1.8
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly derivable from 'prop' (to place something under or against to support) combined with the particle 'up' (giving a sense of support, raising, or completion), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the sense. The compositional physical meaning and its predictable figurative extension (helping something not to fail) follow common cross-linguistic patterns, making the expression transparent.
Etymology
The phrasal verb prop up comes from the simple image of placing a prop like a stick or pillow under something to push it up so it does not fall. That's why prop up now means 'to support' or 'help' someone or something that might fail.