fortify
[fawr-tuh-fahy]
- to protect or strengthen against attack; surround or provide with defensive military works.
- to furnish with a means of resisting force or standing strain or wear: to fortify cotton with nylon.
- to make strong; impart strength or vigor to: to fortify oneself with a good breakfast.
- to increase the effectiveness of, as by additional ingredients: to fortify a diet with vitamins; to fortify a lotion with lanolin.
- to strengthen mentally or morally: to be fortified by religious faith.
- to confirm or corroborate: to fortify an accusation with facts.
- Nutrition. to add one or more ingredients to (a food) to increase its nutritional content.
- to add alcohol to (wine or the like).
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- to set up defensive works; erect fortifications.
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Origin of fortify
1400–50; late Middle English fortifien < Middle French fortifier < Late Latin fortificāre, equivalent to Latin forti(s) strong + -ficāre -fy
Synonyms
See more synonyms for fortify on Thesaurus.com3. strengthen, reinforce. 5. hearten, embolden.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for fortified
Contemporary Examples
As it happened, the coup members found the State House “fortified with additional soldiers.”
He also warns that the entire Uffizi museum should be fortified with anti-seismic measures.
The inauguration had to be held in the fortified Kremlin, surrounded by an eerily quiet city.
Behind Bars for the Holidays: 11 Political Prisoners We Want to See Free In 2015Movements.Org
December 25, 2014
With my back turned, he entered the combination to unlock the door, which was fortified by more than a foot of reinforced steel.
The Central Intelligence Agency found bin Laden hiding in a “fortified compound” in Abbottabad, Pakistan in late 2010.
Hillary Clinton’s New Book Shows Deep Distrust of Pakistan in the Hunt for Bin LadenBruce Riedel
June 19, 2014
Historical Examples
The place chosen for the fortified city of the Cymry was among the mountains.
Welsh Fairy TalesWilliam Elliott Griffis
Thus armed and fortified, do you think they'll ask other reference of their nurse?
These fortified points had to be attacked generally or not at all.
This position had been fortified with trenches and wire entanglements.
They fled to their fortified town on the shore of Lake Canandaigua.
fortify
- (also intr) to make (a place) defensible, as by building walls, digging trenches, etc
- to strengthen physically, mentally, or morally
- to strengthen, support, or reinforce (a garment, structure, etc)
- to add spirits or alcohol to (wine), in order to produce sherry, port, etc
- to increase the nutritious value of (a food), as by adding vitamins and minerals
- to support or confirmto fortify an argument with facts
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Word Origin
C15: from Old French fortifier, from Late Latin fortificāre, from Latin fortis strong + facere to make
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for fortified
fortify
v.
early 15c., "increase efficacy" (of medicine); mid-15c., "provide (a town) with walls and defenses," from Old French fortifiier (14c.) "to fortify, strengthen," from Late Latin fortificare "to strengthen, make strong," from Latin fortis "strong" (see fort) + facere "to make" (see factitious).
Sense of "to strengthen mentally or morally" is from late 15c. Meaning "add liquor or alcohol" is from 1880. Related: Fortified; fortifying.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper