pillar

Word family

Related topics: Buildings, Building, Geology

pil·lar /ˈpɪlə $ -ər/ noun [countableC]

a) TBBa tall upright round post used as a support for a roof or bridge 柱子，墩

Eight massive stone pillars supported the roof.

八根巨大的石柱支撑起房顶。

b) TBa tall upright round post, usually made of stone, put up to remind people of an important person or event 〔通常为石质的〕纪念柱

2 pillar of society/the community/the church etc IMPORTANTsomebody who is an important and respected member of a group, and is involved in many public activities 社会/社区/教会等的栋梁[中坚分子]

Mr Fitzwilliam had been seen as a pillar of the community.

菲茨威廉先生已被视为社区的骨干。

3 BASICa very important part of a system of beliefs or ideas 〔信仰或思想的〕支柱，核心

pillar of

One of the pillars of a civilized society must be that everyone has equal access to the legal system.

文明社会的基础之一就是法律面前人人平等。

4 be driven/pushed from pillar to post PROBLEMto have to go from one person or situation to another without achieving much or being able to settle 到处碰壁，走投无路

The poor kid has been pushed from pillar to post.

这个可怜的孩子被逼得走投无路。

5 be a pillar of strength if someone is a pillar of strength, they are there to give you help and support at a difficult time 是（…的）精神支柱［坚强后盾］

Christine’s been a pillar of strength to me.

克里斯蒂娜一直是我的精神支柱。

Examples from the Corpus

be a pillar of strength• Finally, to my daughter who was a pillar of strength.

6. pillar of dust/smoke/flame etc CFa tall upright mass of dust, smoke, flame etc 一柱灰尘/烟柱/火柱等

Examples from the Corpus

pillar of dust/smoke/flame etc• There was a pillar of smoke then, too.• The incinerator became a roaring pillar of flame, its iron bars instantly glowing red hot.

Examples from the Corpus

pillar• Never mind that he had been a pillar of the regime and was approved on to the ballot by the Council of Guardians.• I run between the concrete pillars holding up the elevated railway, on to the steep stairs.• This takes us right back to the first pillar of meaningful work: freedom.• Below, dim curds of refuse lay clotted about the glass pillars of the Maserati Mall.• The dome was entire gold, standing upon three hundred pillars of precious stones.• Athelstan gazed at the square, squat pillars decorated with greenery like his own in Southwark, though not as beautiful.• IBM's three pillars of business wisdom are service, people, and perfection.• A white pillar of steam marked its finale.• Outside the stately music hall, two-story white pillars are quietly rotting away.

Origin pillar

(1200-1300) Old French piler, from Latin pila

pil·lar noun

Chinese

Syllable

Corpus