1
a buttress (for sth)
作名词时既指建筑上的扶壁，也可指抽象的支撑力量。
The volunteers are a buttress for the community.
这些志愿者是社区的一大支撑力量。
扶壁；支撑物
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
扶壁；支撑物
a stone or brick support for a wall
The volunteers are a buttress for the community.
这些志愿者是社区的一大支撑力量。
用以支撑另一结构的砖、混凝土或石砌构筑物。
A brick, concrete or stone structure built against another structure to support it.
支撑物；支柱。
Anything that serves to support something; a prop.
板根。
A buttress root.
山或岩石上突出的部分。
A feature jutting prominently out from a mountain or rock.
The old church wall is supported by a thick stone buttress.
旧教堂的墙壁由一块厚实的石扶壁支撑着。
The lawyer used new evidence to buttress her argument.
律师用新证据来支持她的论点。
Several studies buttressed the theory that exercise improves memory.
几项研究支持了运动能改善记忆这一理论。
作名词时既指建筑上的扶壁，也可指抽象的支撑力量。
The volunteers are a buttress for the community.
这些志愿者是社区的一大支撑力量。
作动词时如需说明加固所用的材料或依据，常与 with 连用。
They buttressed the old wall with concrete.
他们用混凝土加固了旧墙。
被动语态常用于学术或论证语境，表示“得到……的支持/佐证”。
The theory is buttressed by several studies.
这一理论得到了几项研究的佐证。
Not this
The new evidence buttresses to the theory.
Use this
The new evidence buttresses the theory.
buttress 是及物动词，后面直接跟宾语，不需要加介词 to。学习者受 give support to 或中文“为……提供支持”的影响常在动词后误加 to，去掉后句子才正确。
Not this
The argument needs to buttress.
Use this
The argument needs to be buttressed.
buttress 是及物动词，若要表达“论点需要被加强”，不能直接用主动不定式 needs to buttress，因为论点本身不能主动支撑自己。这里应用被动语态 needs to be buttressed，或在 needs 后接动名词 needs buttressing。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
飞扶壁
The cathedral is famous for its flying buttresses.
这座大教堂以其飞扶壁而闻名。
石砌扶壁
The old church was reinforced with stone buttresses.
这座老教堂用石砌扶壁进行了加固。
支持论点；为论点提供支撑
She used the latest data to buttress her argument.
她利用最新数据来支持她的论点。
支撑经济；巩固经济
The government hopes the new policy will buttress the economy.
政府希望新政策能支撑经济。
为（诉讼/主张）提供支持
The new evidence buttresses the prosecution's case.
新证据为检方的指控提供了支持。
支撑，支持（使不垮）
They took out a loan to buttress up the struggling business.
他们借了一笔贷款来支撑这家经营困难的企业。
使……抵御，使……免受
The government raised tariffs to buttress the domestic industry against foreign competition.
政府提高关税，使国内产业免受外国竞争的冲击。
支持论点
He cited several studies to buttress his argument.
他引用了几项研究来支持自己的论点。
Use buttress naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
把 buttress 拆成 butt（臀部）+ ress：想象用臀部顶住快倒的墙，这个支撑物就是 buttress（扶壁、支撑）。
语域：formal 常见场景：architecture、formal writing/argumentation buttress 作名词指建筑上的扶壁或支撑物；作动词既可指用扶壁加固，也常引申为“支持、加强（论点、制度等）”。该词总体偏正式，多用于书面语、建筑/工程及正式议论中，日常口语较少见。
名词复数形式为 buttresses；动词为规则变化，过去式和过去分词为 buttressed。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.