Baretti: A dictionary of the English and Italian languages
Sosten-ére, v. a. (V. tenere,)
1. to sustain, bear, hold, keep up, uphold or support. — alcuno colle braccia, to hold one up under the arms;2. to bear, resist, endure. Non sosterrò mai quest'ingiuria, I will never bear this affront. — la morte, to suffer death; 3. to suffer, permit, give leave, let. — non volle che io le baciassi la mano, she would not suffer me to kiss her hand. Supplice e lagrimosa a'piedi suoi sosterrò di cadere? shall I be so base as to entreat him and cry at his feet? 4. to keep up, maintain, support; 5. to hold or keep up, to resist. Essendo da infinito mare combattuti due dì si sostennero, they being tossed up and down by a great storm, held up with it two days; 6. to forbear, restrain, contain one's self.Ma fa che la tua lingua sostegna, but endeavour to bridle your tongue; 7. to delay, put off; 8. to contain, refrain, keep back or in awe, keep within bounds, bridle, rule; 9. to detain, stay, stop, arrest, keep in arrest. E fece tanto che fece sostener lo cavaliere, and he did so well, that he caused the knight to be arrested; 10.to maintain, defend, uphold, countenance, support, back, assist, protect. — la parte di qualcheduno, to take somebody's part, to side with one. — una questione, to defend a question; 11. to defer, delay, put off; 12. to bear, bear up, stand, stand out, maintain, hold out. — la carica, to bear the enemy's charge, to stand out. — l'assedio, to stand out the siege;v. r. 1. to eat well, fare well, keep a good table; 2. to be grave and serious, put on a grave and serious countenance; s. m. Sosten-itóre,f. Sosten-itríce; adj. Sosten-énte.
Florio: a worlde of wordes, or most copious, dictionarie in Italian and English
sostenere: to sustaine, to vphold, to beare vp, to vnderprop, to support, to hold vp, to shoaue vp. Also to fauour, to backe, to countenance, to abet, to maintaine. Also to comfort or feede. Also to endure, to suffer, to beare or forbeare with patience. Also to support in armorie. Also to represent or beare the person of another. Also to imprison, or lay vp in hold.
