Bol"ster (&?;), n. [AS. bolster; akin
to Icel. b&?;lstr, Sw. & Dan. bolster, OHG. bolstar,
polstar, G. polster; from the same root as E. bole
stem, bowl hollow vessel. Cf. Bulge, Poltroon.]
1. A long pillow or cushion, used to support the head
of a person lying on a bed; -- generally laid under the pillows.
And here I'll fling the pillow, there the
bolster,
This way the coverlet, another way the sheets.
Shak.
2. A pad, quilt, or anything used to hinder
pressure, support any part of the body, or make a bandage sit easy upon a
wounded part; a compress.
This arm shall be a bolster for thy head.
Gay.
3. Anything arranged to act as a support, as in
various forms of mechanism, etc.
4. (Saddlery) A cushioned or a piece part of
a saddle.
5. (Naut.) (a) A cushioned
or a piece of soft wood covered with tarred canvas, placed on the
trestletrees and against the mast, for the collars of the shrouds to rest
on, to prevent chafing. (b) Anything used to
prevent chafing.
6. A plate of iron or a mass of wood under the end
of a bridge girder, to keep the girder from resting directly on the
abutment.
7. A transverse bar above the axle of a wagon, on
which the bed or body rests.
8. The crossbeam forming the bearing piece of the
body of a railway car; the central and principal cross beam of a car
truck.
9. (Mech.) the perforated plate in a
punching machine on which anything rests when being punched.
10. (Cutlery) (a) That part
of a knife blade which abuts upon the end of the handle.
(b) The metallic end of a pocketknife handle.
G. Francis.
11. (Arch.) The rolls forming the ends or
sides of the Ionic capital. G. Francis.
12. (Mil.) A block of wood on the carriage
of a siege gun, upon which the breech of the gun rests when arranged for
transportation. [See Illust. of Gun carriage.]
Bolster work (Arch.), members which are
bellied or curved outward like cushions, as in friezes of certain classical
styles.
Bol"ster, v. t. [imp. & p.
p. Bolstered (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n.
Bolstering.] 1. To support with a bolster or
pillow. S. Sharp.
2. To support, hold up, or maintain with difficulty
or unusual effort; -- often with up.
To bolster baseness.
Drayton.
Shoddy inventions designed to bolster up a factitious
pride.
Compton Reade.
