pillar

«pillar» in Mova's school dictionary: a tall, strong post of stone, wood or metal that holds up… — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

part of speech

noun (a pillar, pillars)

meaning for a pupil

1) A pillar is a tall, strong post of stone, wood or metal that holds up part of a building or stands as a monument. tree →

2) A pillar of smoke, fire or cloud is a tall column of it. tree →

3) A pillar of a community or group is an important person or idea that supports it: a pillar of the church. tree →

sense in the lessons

In history: Greek and Roman temples with pillars. In the Bible: God led the Israelites by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night; Lot's wife became a pillar of salt. In religion: the Five Pillars of Islam. Phrase (UK): «from pillar to post» means from one place to another without rest.

examples

• The temple roof stood on tall stone pillars. tree →
• A pillar of smoke rose from the bonfire. tree →
• God led the Israelites with a pillar of cloud. tree →
• Grandpa was a pillar of the community. tree →
• The Five Pillars of Islam are the main duties of Muslims. tree →
• In the UK, post boxes used to be called pillar boxes. tree →
• We were sent from pillar to post. tree →
• Around and around the pillar ran the Princess. tree →

note

Countable. Similar: column (often round and decorated), post. Phrase: «pillar of strength» = someone who supports others in hard times.

In the corpora

• There are passages and rooms everywhere, pillars, arches and stone floors.
• Ashoka's lion pillar is today a national emblem of India.
• But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
• I am the God of Beth-el, where thou didst anoint a pillar, where thou didst vow a vow unto Me.
• And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.

Trees and pragmatics

Every meaning and example of «pillar» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.