pillar
pillar — noun
- pillarsingular
- pillarsplural
1. A tall upright structure built from materials such as stone or steel, used to su
A tall upright structure built from materials such as stone or steel, used to support the roof or upper parts of a building, or placed on its own as a memorial.
The old temple is supported by twelve stone pillars carved with flowers and animals.
collocation: stone pillars / supported by pillars
Megan leaned against a marble pillar near the entrance while waiting for her friend.
collocation: marble pillar
Workers used metal pillars to keep the bridge steady during the repair work.
A row of concrete pillars marks the front of the government building.
文法句型
pillar + of + material
pillar + in/at + location
用法筆記
Countable noun. Often used with a material name (stone pillar, marble pillar, wooden pillar) or a number (ten pillars, a row of pillars).
常見錯誤
2. A person who plays a vital role in a group, organization, or community and is st
A person who plays a vital role in a group, organization, or community and is strongly relied upon; a core belief, practice, or principle that supports a system or institution.
Kabir has been a pillar of the local church community for over thirty years.
collocation: a pillar of [community]
Honesty is one of the pillars of their family values.
collocation: one of the pillars of [system/value]
Talia's grandmother was a pillar of strength during the family's difficult times.
The rule of law is a fundamental pillar of a democratic society.
- mainstay
similar meaning but slightly less formal; emphasises the person's reliability over time
- cornerstone
used for principles or foundations rather than people; suggests something everything else is built on
- foundation
the base that supports everything; less personal than 'pillar'
- weakness
a person or element that cannot be relied upon
- underminer
someone who actively weakens a group or system
文法句型
pillar + of + [community/group]
pillar + of + [quality]
one of the pillars + of + [system]
用法筆記
Subject is usually a person, a quality, or a principle. Frequently used in the pattern 'a pillar of [group or quality]'. The phrase 'a pillar of strength' is a common fixed expression.
常見錯誤
3. A tall, narrow column-like mass formed by a substance such as smoke, rock, dust,
A tall, narrow column-like mass formed by a substance such as smoke, rock, dust, or water.
A pillar of black smoke rose from the factory after the explosion.
collocation: pillar of smoke
Hikers walked between two tall pillars of red rock in the desert canyon.
collocation: pillars of rock
Lien pointed at a pillar of water shooting from a broken pipe in the street.
A dark pillar of dust moved across the dry farmland as the wind grew stronger.
文法句型
pillar + of + [substance]
用法筆記
Always followed by 'of' and a substance noun. Commonly describes smoke, dust, rock, water, or fire in vertical column form.
pillar — verb
- pillarpresent simple I / you / we / they
- pillars3rd person singular
- pillaring-ing form
- pillaredpast simple
1. To support or reinforce a structure by adding pillars, or to strengthen an organ
To support or reinforce a structure by adding pillars, or to strengthen an organisation or idea so that it becomes more stable.
Engineers decided to pillar the old bridge with steel supports before the rainy season.
grammar: transitive literal sense — pillar a structure
The ancient hall was pillared with massive granite columns that rose to the ceiling.
passive: be pillared with [material]
The sagging wall of the old barn was carefully pillared to prevent further collapse.
An expert stonemason spent the entire summer pillaring the cathedral's damaged archway.
- weaken
to make a structure or system less strong
文法句型
pillar + [object]
be pillared + with + [material]
用法筆記
Often used in the passive voice, especially when describing how a structure was built. The literal sense ('support with pillars') is more common than the figurative sense.