# abying

CEFR C2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/abying
Updated: 2026-05-18

## Definition

to support or hold something up. It is an old word that people rarely use today, mostly in very formal or technical writing.

For teachers: to support or hold up; to bear the weight of. Primarily used in technical or archaic contexts, such as in engineering or historical legal documents.

## Examples

- The bridge abying the heavy trucks.
- The old stone arch was abying the weight of the cathedral for centuries before the modern supports were added.
- In the absence of modern steel reinforcements, the ancient masonry was abying the immense pressure from the surrounding cliffs, a fact that worried the structural engineers.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.