pillared
pillared — adjective
- pillaredpositive
- more pillaredcomparative
- most pillaredsuperlative
1. describing a building or structure that has vertical columns supporting its roof
describing a building or structure that has vertical columns supporting its roof, entrance, or facade.
Mei-Lin admired the pillared entrance of the old museum as rain fell outside.
pillared + entrance / courtyard / facade
Kwame took photos of the pillared courtyard where tall columns held up a shaded walkway.
Diego leaned against a pillared wall near the market and waited for his sister.
Fatima explained that pillared temples were common in southern India for hundreds of years.
Yuki sketched the pillared balcony of the hotel while drinking morning tea.
- pillarless
Describes a structure built without any supporting columns.
用法筆記
Usually placed before a noun to describe a building or part of a building that has pillars. Less common in everyday speech; more typical of architectural descriptions or historical writing.
常見錯誤
pillared — noun
1. a tall, solid upright post made of stone, wood, or metal, that supports a roof,
a tall, solid upright post made of stone, wood, or metal, that supports a roof, bridge, or other part of a structure, or stands alone as a monument.
Henrik ran his hand along the cool stone pillar that held up the old bridge.
stone / marble / wooden pillar
The temple's wooden pillars were carved with images of flowers and birds.
Sofia noticed that one pillar in the hall had cracks running from top to bottom.
Nadia leaned against a concrete pillar on the subway platform and waited for the train.
Kenji counted twelve marble pillars supporting the dome of the city library.
- column
Often interchangeable in architecture, but 'column' suggests a cylindrical shape and is more common in classical building styles.
- post
Used for smaller, simpler supports made of wood or metal; less formal than 'pillar'.
- pier
A thick masonry support, especially for a bridge or an arch.
- pile
A long beam driven into the ground to support a foundation or a building.
用法筆記
The most common and literal sense. Pillars are usually load-bearing — different from columns, which may be purely decorative. In everyday speech, 'post' is more common for small or simple supports.
常見錯誤
2. a person, group, or thing that plays a vital supporting role within an organizat
a person, group, or thing that plays a vital supporting role within an organization, community, or system, without which the whole would struggle to function.
Professor Elena has been a pillar of the medical school for more than thirty years.
pillar of [institution/community]
The local food bank became a pillar of the neighbourhood after the crisis hit.
Bo's grandmother was a pillar of strength when their family faced hard times.
Oluwaseun sees the volunteer firefighters as a pillar of the rural community.
Wei described his former teacher as a pillar of the arts scene in Taipei.
- cornerstone
Emphasises being the foundational element something is built on; less personal than 'pillar'.
- backbone
Suggests strength and durability, often used for groups ('backbone of the economy').
- rock
Informal; used for a person who provides dependable support ('She was my rock').
- mainstay
A person or thing that something depends on most heavily.
文法句型
pillar of [noun phrase]
用法筆記
Frequently followed by 'of' + an institution, community, or abstract quality. The phrase 'pillar of strength' is a fixed collocation describing someone who provides emotional support during hardship. This sense is exclusively figurative.
常見錯誤
3. a fundamental principle or belief that an entire system, theory, or philosophy i
a fundamental principle or belief that an entire system, theory, or philosophy is built upon and cannot be removed without the whole system changing or collapsing.
Anika learned that freedom of speech is a pillar of democratic government.
pillar of [abstract concept]
Dimitri's lecture covered the three main pillars of sustainable development.
Amina argued that honesty is a pillar of any successful business relationship.
For Judge Okafor, the rule of law stands as a central pillar of democratic governance.
Hiroshi believes that mutual respect forms a pillar of every healthy workplace.
- foundation
Emphasises what something is built on top of; more common in everyday speech than 'pillar'.
- tenet
More formal; refers to a principle held to be true by a group or organisation.
- bedrock
Very strong imagery — the solid rock layer everything else rests on; informal but emphatic.
- cornerstone
Suggests the first and most essential element from which everything else develops.
文法句型
pillar of [abstract system]
用法筆記
Typically appears in formal or academic writing about politics, economics, ethics, or organisational theory. Almost always used in a framework structure, e.g. 'X is one of the pillars of Y' or 'the three pillars of Z'. Distinguish from sense 2 (KEY SUPPORT), which refers to people or groups; this sense refers to abstract principles.
常見錯誤
pillared — verb
- pillaredpresent simple I / you / we / they
- pillareds3rd person singular
- pillareding-ing form
- pillarededpast simple
1. to supply a structure with pillars for support; to strengthen a building, bridge
to supply a structure with pillars for support; to strengthen a building, bridge, or other construction by adding upright columns.
The city council decided to pillar the old market hall with four new stone columns.
pillar + object + with + material
In the fifteenth century, builders pillared the cathedral nave using local granite.
past tense: pillared
Contractors pillared the damaged bridge with steel beams to keep traffic flowing.
Zara's study focused on how Roman engineers pillared aqueducts across wide valleys.
Noor suggested they pillar the entrance with wooden posts before the roof was added.
- support
Much more general and far more common; does not specify the use of pillars.
- prop up
Informal; suggests temporary or emergency support rather than permanent pillars.
- reinforce
Can use any method (steel, concrete, pillars); broader than 'pillar'.
- buttress
Architectural term for adding external supporting structures, often against a wall.
- demolish
Opposite of strengthening — means to tear down rather than reinforce.
文法句型
pillar + object + with + material
用法筆記
A rare and somewhat formal or technical verb. In modern English, speakers are far more likely to use 'support with pillars', 'add pillars to', or 'put pillars under' instead. The past participle 'pillared' (adjective) is far more common than the finite verb forms.