pillar

[pil-er] /ˈpɪl ər/
noun
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:
Gothic pillars; a pillar to commemorate Columbus.
2.
a natural formation resembling such a construction:
a pillar of rock; a pillar of smoke.
3.
any upright, supporting part; post:
the pillar of a table.
4.
a person who is a chief supporter of a society, state, institution, etc.:
a pillar of the community.
5.
Horology. any of several short parts for spacing and keeping in the proper relative positions two plates holding the bearings of a watch or clock movement.
6.
Mining. an isolated mass of rock or ore in a mine, usually serving as a roof support in early operations and later removed, wholly or in part.
7.
Nautical, mast1 (def 2).
verb (used with object)
8.
to provide or support with pillars.
Idioms
9.
from pillar to post,
  1. aimlessly from place to place.
  2. uneasily from one bad situation or predicament to another.
Origin
1175-1225; Middle English pillare < Medieval Latin pīlāre (see pile1, -ar2); replacing earlier piler < Old French < Medieval Latin, as above
Related forms
pillared, adjective
pillarlike, adjective
unpillared, adjective
Can be confused
pillar, pillory, pillow.
Synonyms
1. pilaster, pier. See column.
Examples from the web for pillar
  • She was a pillar of strength and a role model for me as well as many others.
  • We mourn the loss of our beloved member, devoted supporter, and pillar of strength.
  • He was a pillar of strength to all who really knew him.
  • pillar brings a résumé full of high-profile posts in media.
  • Of course, the transition from the first to the third pillar cannot happen overnight.
  • Wooden hammers and stone chisels were used for detail carving before the pillar was finally erected.
  • Only last year did observations of the first pillar reach the precision needed to cross-check the second one.
  • Sturdy concrete footing keeps the pillar from toppling.
  • But the orb was sitting directly ahead of me atop a pillar in the center of a deep square pit.
  • The pillar palatal implant is a noninvasive surgical treatment for mild-to-moderate sleep apnea and snoring.
British Dictionary definitions for pillar

pillar

/ˈpɪlə/
noun
1.
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.
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
verb
6.
(transitive) to support with or as if with pillars
Word Origin
C13: from Old French pilier, from Latin pīla; see pile1
Word Origin and History for pillar
n.

c.1200, from Old French piler "pillar, column, pier" (12c., Modern French pilier) and directly from Medieval Latin pilare, from Latin pila "pillar, stone barrier." Figurative sense of "prop or support of an institution or community" is first recorded early 14c. Phrase pillar to post is c.1600, originally of tennis, exact meaning obscure.

pillar in Medicine

pillar pil·lar (pĭl'ər)
n.
A structure or part that provides support and resembles a column or pillar.

pillar in the Bible

used to support a building (Judg. 16:26, 29); as a trophy or memorial (Gen. 28:18; 35:20; Ex. 24:4; 1 Sam. 15:12, A.V., "place," more correctly "monument," or "trophy of victory," as in 2 Sam. 18:18); of fire, by which the Divine Presence was manifested (Ex. 13:2). The "plain of the pillar" in Judg. 9:6 ought to be, as in the Revised Version, the "oak of the pillar", i.e., of the monument or stone set up by Joshua (24:26).