Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun One of the upright, usually rounded or vase-shaped supports of a balustrade.
- noun An upright support, such as a furniture leg, having a similar shape.
- noun One of the supporting posts of a handrail.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun In architecture and building, a small upright member made in a great variety of forms, but typically strongly swelled outward at some point between the base and the top or capital, and commonly vase- or urn-shaped, used in series to support the rail of a railing or balustrade.
- noun In architecture, the lateral part of the volute of the Ionic capital. Also
bolster .
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun (Arch.) A small column or pilaster, used as a support to the rail of an open parapet, to guard the side of a staircase, or the front of a gallery. See
balustrade .
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun architecture A short column used in a group to support a rail, as commonly found on the side of a stairway; a
banister .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun one of a number of closely spaced supports for a railing
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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There was also an little piece of home in one of the display cases: An original baluster from the Louis Sullivan designed Carson Pirie Scott building in Chicago.
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August 15th, 2007 at 1: 27 am dangerous place, if the baluster is not high enough! mx2 Says:
Online Flash Tennis 2006
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England had what was known as a baluster stem and a seal head; the assay mark was in the inner part of the bowl.
Home Life in Colonial Days Alice Morse Earle 1881
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A staircase with a massive oak baluster winds up toward the second floor.
The Other Side of Dark Sarah Smith 2010
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One broken baluster is placed on the pediment like a fractured leg.
Les Miserables 2008
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We waited to collect money to rebuild the front porch right; solid cedar columns, tongue & groove panelled ceiling, a hint of our personality in the rail baluster pattern.
Mitsouko Musings ScentScelf 2008
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We waited to collect money to rebuild the front porch right; solid cedar columns, tongue & groove panelled ceiling, a hint of our personality in the rail baluster pattern.
Archive 2008-12-01 ScentScelf 2008
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Again, the baluster survives: the hollow—concealed behind a removable sliver of wood—is very small.
The Sion Revelation Lynn Picknett 2006
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Project involves converting unfinished attic space to a 15-by-15-foot bedroom and bathroom with shower; installing four new windows, shed dormer and closet space under eaves; adding insulation, carpeting, rail and baluster to stairs; extending ventilation system; and finishing walls and ceilings.
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Again, the baluster survives: the hollow—concealed behind a removable sliver of wood—is very small.
The Sion Revelation Lynn Picknett 2006
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