sustain
v.v. to keep something going or maintain it over a long time. It can also mean to suffer an injury or to support someone with what they need to live.
v. to maintain or continue a process or state over an extended period; to provide the necessities of life. In legal or formal contexts, it can also mean to suffer or undergo damage, or for a judge to uphold a claim as valid.
The runner worked hard to sustain her speed until the finish line.
The local ecosystem cannot sustain such a large population of deer without more natural predators to balance the numbers.
The legal team argued that the evidence was insufficient to sustain a conviction, while the judge chose to sustain the objection raised by the defense regarding the witness's testimony.
From Middle English susteinen, sustenen, from Old French sustenir (French soutenir), from Latin sustineō, sustinēre (“to uphold”), from sub- (“from below, up”) + teneō (“hold”, verb).
The verb is transitive and requires a direct object. In legal contexts, it is frequently used in the passive voice or as a formal ruling by a judge.
The injury sustained to himHe sustained an injurySustain is transitive; the person or entity experiences the injury directly as the subject, or the injury is the direct object.