but·tress (b?t?r?s)n.1. A structure, usually brick or stone, built against a wall for support or reinforcement.2. Something resembling a buttress, as:a. The flared base of certain tree trunks.b. A horny growth on the heel of a horse’s hoof.3. Something that serves to support, prop, or reinforce: “The law is by its very nature a buttress of the status quo” (J. William Fulbright).tr.v. but·tressed, but·tress·ing, but·tress·es 1. To support or reinforce with a buttress.2. To sustain, prop, or bolster: “The author buttresses her analysis with lengthy dissections of several of Moore’s poems” (Warren Woessner).[Middle English buteras, from Old French bouterez, from bouter, to strike against, of Germanic origin; see bhau- in Indo-European roots.]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.buttress (?b?tr?s) n1. (Architecture) Also called: pier a construction, usually of brick or stone, built to support a wall. See also flying buttress2. any support or prop3. something shaped like a buttress, such as a projection from a mountainside4. (Zoology) either of the two pointed rear parts of a horse’s hoofvb (tr) 5. (Building) to support (a wall) with a buttress6. to support or sustain[C13: from Old French bouterez, short for ars bouterez thrusting arch, from bouter to thrust, butt3]Collins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014but?tress (?b? tr?s) n. 1. a projecting support built into or against the outside of a masonry wall to steady a structure by opposing its outward thrusts. 2. any prop or support. 3. something resembling a buttress in shape or position. 4. a bony or horny protuberance, esp. on a horse’s hoof. v.t. 5. to support by a buttress; prop up. 6. to give encouragement or support to. [1350?1400; Middle English butres « Old French (arc) boterez thrusting (arch)] Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.buttressPast participle: buttressedGerund: buttressingImperativePresentPreteritePresent ContinuousPresent PerfectPast ContinuousPast PerfectFutureFuture PerfectFuture ContinuousPresent Perfect ContinuousFuture Perfect ContinuousPast Perfect ContinuousConditionalPast ConditionalImperativebuttressbuttressPresentI buttressyou buttresshe/she/it buttresseswe buttressyou buttressthey buttressPreteriteI buttressedyou buttressedhe/she/it buttressedwe buttressedyou buttressedthey buttressedPresent ContinuousI am buttressingyou are buttressinghe/she/it is buttressingwe are buttressingyou are buttressingthey are buttressingPresent PerfectI have buttressedyou have buttressedhe/she/it has buttressedwe have buttressedyou have buttressedthey have buttressedPast ContinuousI was buttressingyou were buttressinghe/she/it was buttressingwe were buttressingyou were buttressingthey were buttressingPast PerfectI had buttressedyou had buttressedhe/she/it had buttressedwe had buttressedyou had buttressedthey had buttressedFutureI will buttressyou will buttresshe/she/it will buttresswe will buttressyou will buttressthey will buttressFuture PerfectI will have buttressedyou will have buttressedhe/she/it will have buttressedwe will have buttressedyou will have buttressedthey will have buttressedFuture ContinuousI will be buttressingyou will be buttressinghe/she/it will be buttressingwe will be buttressingyou will be buttressingthey will be buttressingPresent Perfect ContinuousI have been buttressingyou have been buttressinghe/she/it has been buttressingwe have been buttressingyou have been buttressingthey have been buttressingFuture Perfect ContinuousI will have been buttressingyou will have been buttressinghe/she/it will have been buttressingwe will have been buttressingyou will have been buttressingthey will have been buttressingPast Perfect ContinuousI had been buttressingyou had been buttressinghe/she/it had been buttressingwe had been buttressingyou had been buttressingthey had been buttressingConditionalI would buttressyou would buttresshe/she/it would buttresswe would buttressyou would buttressthey would buttressPast ConditionalI would have buttressedyou would have buttressedhe/she/it would have buttressedwe would have buttressedyou would have buttressedthey would have buttressedCollins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011