sorreggere

Sorggere is a verb in Italian that indicates the action of supporting or holding up something, primarily in a physical sense but also in a figurative one. It conveys the idea of bearing a load, stabilizing a structure, or providing backing for a claim or position.

In literal use, sorreggere is transitive. For example, a trave sorregge il soffitto (a beam supports the ceiling), i pilastri sorreggono la volta (the pillars uphold the vault), and una mensola sorregge degli oggetti. It can describe the act of supporting a weight or a structure, sometimes with emphasis on the stability provided by supports or underpinnings.

In figurative use, sorreggere denotes the logical or evidential backing of an argument, hypothesis, or theory. A teoria è sorretta da dati affidabili means the theory is supported by reliable data. The expression is common in academic and analytical writing, where evidence serves to uphold a viewpoint.

Sorreggere can also appear in reflexive form, sorreggersi, with meanings related to self-support or resilience. Sorreggersi implies sustaining oneself, coping with a difficult situation, or relying on one’s own resources to endure.

Etymology and related forms: the verb is of Latin origin, appearing in Italian with the sense of sustaining or supporting from below or behind. Related terms include sostenere and reggere, which share the broader semantic field of bearing weight or maintaining state or argument.

See also: sostenere, reggere, sorreggibile.