fort
[ fawrt, fohrt ]
/ fɔrt, foʊrt /
noun
a strong or fortified place occupied by troops and usually surrounded by walls, ditches, and other defensive works; a fortress; fortification.
any permanent army post.
(formerly) a trading post.
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Idioms for fort
- to defend one's position against attack or criticism.
- to maintain the existing state of affairs.
hold the fort,
Origin of fort
1550–60; < Middle French, noun use of adj. fort strong < Latin fortis
Words nearby fort
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
British Dictionary definitions for hold the fort
fort
/ (fɔːt) /
noun
a fortified enclosure, building, or position able to be defended against an enemy
hold the fort informal to maintain or guard something temporarily
Word Origin for fort
C15: from Old French, from fort (adj) strong, from Latin fortis
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
Idioms and Phrases with hold the fort (1 of 2)
hold the fort
Assume responsibility, especially in another's absence; also, maintain a secure position. For example, Harry did a good job of holding the fort until his boss recovered, or Can you hold the fort in the kitchen? This expression has been traced to an order given by General William Tecumseh Sherman in 1864, which was repeated as “Hold the fort [against the enemy at Allatoona] at all costs, for I am coming.”
Idioms and Phrases with hold the fort (2 of 2)
fort
see hold the fort.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.