uphold – v To support or defend, as against opposition or criticism.
The reason I've picked such a common word is to illustrate one of the hazards of reading old documents. The specific example I have in mind comes from the debates over the proposed constitution for the United States (1787-88). A supporter of the constitution accused one of his opponents of "upholding ratification" in their state, which sounds funny until you realize that his use of "uphold" was synonymous with "hold up." Let the modern reader - me included - beware!
