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garrison

[gar-uh-suh n]
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noun
  1. a body of troops stationed in a fortified place.
  2. the place where such troops are stationed.
  3. any military post, especially a permanent one.
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verb (used with object)
  1. to provide (a fort, town, etc.) with a garrison.
  2. to occupy (a fort, post, station, etc.) with troops.
  3. to put (troops) on duty in a fort, post, station, etc.
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Origin of garrison

1250–1300; Middle English garisoun protection, stronghold < Old French garison, gareison defense, provision, derivative of garir, guerir to defend < Germanic; compare Old High German warjan
Related formso·ver·gar·ri·son, verb (used with object)re·gar·ri·son, verb (used with object)un·gar·ri·soned, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

guardedprotectedwalledstrengthenedsecuredbarricadedcapturekeepconquerholdinvadeoverrunpostbaseestablishassigninstallpreservecontendsecure

Examples from the Web for garrisoned

Historical Examples

  • She has garrisoned a castle, and hurled defiance at the ruler of the land.

    Love-at-Arms

    Raphael Sabatini

  • The position is fortified, and garrisoned with a company of the Permanent force.

    The Last Voyage

    Lady (Annie Allnutt) Brassey

  • Two block-houses, garrisoned by British regulars, guarded the town.

  • The centre one is about three miles off from shore, and is garrisoned by 1200 men.

  • In the morning, Ithamar had entered with his division and garrisoned the city.

    Alroy

    Benjamin Disraeli

British Dictionary definitions for garrisoned

garrison

noun
  1. the troops who maintain and guard a base or fortified place
    1. the place itself
    2. (as modifier)a garrison town
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verb
  1. (tr) to station (troops) in (a fort)
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Word Origin

C13: from Old French garison, from garir to defend, of Germanic origin; compare Old Norse verja to defend, Old English, Old High German werian
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 garrisoned

garrison

n.

c.1300, "store, treasure," from Old French garison "defense" (Modern French guérison "cure, recovery, healing") from garir "defend" (see garret). Meaning "fortified stronghold" is from early 15c.; that of "body of troops in a fortress" is from mid-15c., a sense taken over from Middle English garnison "body of armed men" (late 14c.), from Old French garnison "provision, munitions," from garnir "to furnish, provide."

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garrison

v.

1560s, from garrison (n.). Related: Garrisoned; garrisoning.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper