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pillar
pillar a tall vertical structure of stone, wood, or metal used as a support for a building or as an ornament or monument; a pillar as that to which Jesus was bound during the Flagellation is thus one of the symbols of the Passion.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, a pillar denoted a small column carried as a symbol of dignity or office; this was used by Cardinal Wolsey (c.1475–1530) and Cardinal Pole (1500–1558), but not recorded elsewhere. Representations of Wolsey's pillars appear in the decorations of Christ Church, Oxford. Those of Pole are represented in the illumination on the first page of his Register of Wills at Somerset House; they appear as Corinthian columns with capital and base, about the size of Roman fasces. from pillar to post from one place to another in an unceremonious or fruitless manner. The phrase (in its earlier form from post to pillar) originally referred to the rapid movement of a ball around the court in real tennis. The rhyming constructions with tost or tossed which are found in a number of early uses make reference to this. pillar of salt into which the wife of Lot (see Lot1) was turned for her disobedience in turning back to look at Sodom in their flight from its destruction. pillar of society a person regarded as a particularly responsible citizen, a mainstay of the social fabric. Pillar in the sense of a person regarded as a mainstay or support for something is recorded from Middle English; Pillars of Society was the English title (1888) of a play by Ibsen. Pillars of Hercules an ancient name for two promontories on either side of the Strait of Gibraltar (the Rock of Gibraltar and Mount Acho in Ceuta), held by legend to have been parted by the arm of Hercules. |
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "pillar." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "pillar." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-pillar.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "pillar." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-pillar.html |
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pillar
pillar In the OT both memorials and also the focus for religious devotion. Made of stone or wood, their capitals would often be elaborately decorated. Jacob erected a pillar at Rachel's grave (Gen. 35: 20). Moses set up twelve pillars (one for each tribe) round an altar in the wilderness (Exod. 24: 4). Joshua caused twelve ‘stones’ (obelisks?) to be erected in the Jordan, and later removed to Gilgal (Josh. 4: 9, 20). Because of the association of pillars with the agricultural fertility religion of the Baals, the prophets condemned cultic pillars (Hos. 10: 2; Mic. 5: 13), but the two free-standing pillars outside the Temple, called Jachin and Boaz, certainly had a religious significance, unlike the pillars of a Greek temple, which were integrated with the structure and had a strong aesthetic appeal.
Symbolically, Hebrews in Egypt are a pillar (Isa. 19: 19), as are James, Peter, and John in Paul's snide description (Gal. 2: 9). The Church is a pillar of truth (1 Tim. 3: 15). |
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W. R. F. BROWNING. "pillar." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. W. R. F. BROWNING. "pillar." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-pillar.html W. R. F. BROWNING. "pillar." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-pillar.html |
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pillar
pil·lar / ˈpilər/ • n. a tall vertical structure of stone, wood, or metal, used as a support for a building, or as an ornament or monument. ∎ something shaped like such a structure: a pillar of smoke. ∎ a person or thing regarded as reliably providing essential support for something: he was a pillar of his local community. PHRASES: from pillar to post from one place to another in an unceremonious or fruitless manner: the refugees have been pushed from pillar to post in that area.DERIVATIVES: pil·lared adj. |
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"pillar." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "pillar." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-pillar.html "pillar." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-pillar.html |
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pillar
pillar freestanding columnar supporting member. It is a general term, little used as an exact architectural definition except as applied to an upright support in the medieval styles, consisting of an assemblage of juxtaposed shafts and moldings; unlike the column, it does not adhere to the rules of the orders of architecture . |
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"pillar." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "pillar." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-pillar.html "pillar." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-pillar.html |
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Pillar
Pillaran upright pillar-like mass or column of air. See also column. Examples : pillar of air; of cloud, 1382; of fire, 1382; of heaven bright, 1340; of sand, 1813; of smoke, 1611; of printing type; of vapour; of water, 1702. |
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"Pillar." Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. 1985. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Pillar." Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. 1985. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-2505301114.html "Pillar." Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. 1985. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-2505301114.html |
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pillar
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T. F. HOAD. "pillar." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "pillar." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-pillar.html T. F. HOAD. "pillar." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-pillar.html |
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pillar
pillar (pil-er) n. (in anatomy) an elongated apparently supportive structure.
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"pillar." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "pillar." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O62-pillar.html "pillar." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O62-pillar.html |
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pillar
pillar •Adela, bailer, bailor, baler, Benguela, bewailer, derailleur, hailer, inhaler, jailer, loudhailer, mailer, nailer, railer, retailer, sailer, sailor, scaler, Scheele, shillelagh, tailor, Taylor, trailer, Venezuela, wailer, whaler
•fabler • Daimler • blackmailer
•abseiler • wassailer • boardsailor
•wholesaler
•appealer, candela, Coahuila, concealer, dealer, feeler, healer, Keeler, kneeler, Leila, peeler, Philomela, reeler, revealer, Schiele, sealer, sheila, Shelagh, spieler, squealer, stealer, tequila, velar, Vila, wheeler, wheeler-dealer
•enfant terrible
•Anguilla, Aquila, Attila, Camilla, cedilla, chiller, chinchilla, driller, Drusilla, fibrillar, filler, flotilla, fulfiller, Godzilla, gorilla, griller, guerrilla, killer, Manila, manilla, mantilla, miller, pillar, Priscilla, sapodilla, sarsaparilla, Schiller, scilla, scintilla, spiller, swiller, thriller, tiller, vanilla, vexilla, villa, Willa, willer, zorilla
•kiblah • fiddler
•kindler, swindler
•sniffler • sigla • stickler
•sprinkler, twinkler, winkler
•Himmler, Simla
•crippler
•Hitler, Littler, Mitla
•grizzler • Polyfilla • drosophila
•downhiller • Angela • painkiller
•weedkiller • ladykiller • Pamela
•similar, verisimilar
•propyla • caterpillar • canceller
•councillor (US councilor), counsellor (US counselor)
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"pillar." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "pillar." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-pillar.html "pillar." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-pillar.html |
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