sustain
verb- sustain somebody/something
to provide enough of what somebody/something needs in order to live or exist 维持（生命、生存） Which planets can sustain life? 哪些行星可以维持生命的存在？ I only had a little chocolate to sustain me on my walk. 我只有一点巧克力来支撑我走路。 The love and support of his family sustained him during his time in prison. 家人的关爱和支持帮助他度过了狱中的岁月。 When she lost her job they could no longer sustain their expensive lifestyle. 当她失业后，他们再也无法维持他们昂贵的生活方式。 The soil was so badly eroded it could no longer sustain crop production. 土壤侵蚀得厉害，不能再种庄稼了。
- sustain something
to make something continue for some time without becoming less 使保持；使稳定持续 She managed to sustain everyone's interest until the end of her speech. 她使每个人兴趣盎然，一直听她把话讲完。 Kangaroos can sustain high speeds over long distances. 袋鼠可以长时间保持高速。 the sustaining pedal of a piano (= that allows a note to continue sounding for a long time) 钢琴的支撑踏板 This relationship would be very difficult to sustain. 这一关系会难以为继。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- no longer
- barely
- indefinitely
- …
- be able to
- can
- be unable to
- …
- sustain something (formal)
to experience something bad 遭受；蒙受；经受 to sustain damage/an injury/a defeat 遭受损失；受伤；遭到失败 The company sustained losses of millions of dollars. 公司遭受了数百万美元计的巨大损失。
- sustain something
to provide evidence to support an opinion, a theory, etc. 证明；证实 - sustain something (formal)
to support a weight without breaking or falling 支撑；承受住 - sustain something (
law 法律 to decide that a claim, etc. is true or legally valid 认可；确认；准许；支持 The court sustained his claim that the contract was illegal. 法庭支持他的主张，认定该合同不合法。 Objection sustained! (= said by a judge when a lawyer makes an objection in court) 反对有效！
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French soustenir, from Latin sustinere, from sub- ‘from below’ + tenere ‘hold’.