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Webster 1913 Edition


Fortify

For′ti-fy

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Fortified
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Fortifying
.]
[F.
fortifier
, L.
fortificare
;
fortis
strong +
-ficare
(in comp.) to make. See
Fort
, and
-fy
.]
1.
To add strength to; to strengthen; to confirm; to furnish with power to resist attack.
Timidity was
fortified
by pride.
Gibbon.
Pride came to the aid of fancy, and both combined to
fortify
his resolution.
Sir W. Scott.
2.
To strengthen and secure by forts or batteries, or by surrounding with a wall or ditch or other military works; to render defensible against an attack by hostile forces.

For′ti-fy

,
Verb.
I.
To raise defensive works.
Milton.

Webster 1828 Edition


Fortify

FOR'TIFY

, v.t.
1.
To surround with a wall, ditch, palisades or other works, with a view to defend against the attacks of an enemy; to strengthen and secure by forts, batteries and other works of art; as, to fortify a city, town or harbor.
2.
To strengthen against any attack; as, to fortify the mind against sudden calamity.
3.
To confirm; to add strength and firmness to; as, to fortify an opinion or resolution; to fortify hope or desire.
4.
To furnish with strength or means of resisting force, violence or assault.

FOR'TIFY

,
Verb.
I.
To raise strong places.

Definition 2024


fortify

fortify

English

Verb

fortify (third-person singular simple present fortifies, present participle fortifying, simple past and past participle fortified)

  1. To increase the defenses of; to strengthen and secure by military works; to render defensible against an attack by hostile forces.
  2. To impart strength or vigor to.
    • Sir Walter Scott
      Pride came to the aid of fancy, and both combined to fortify his resolution.
    • 1960, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, “chapter XXI”, in Jeeves in the Offing, London: Herbert Jenkins, OCLC 1227855:
      “And do you realize that in a few shakes I've got to show up at dinner and have Mrs Cream being very, very kind to me? It hurts the pride of the Woosters, Jeeves.” “My advice, sir, would be to fortify yourself for the ordeal.” “How?” “There are always cocktails, sir. Should I pour you another?” “You should.”
  3. To increase the effectiveness of, as by additional ingredients.
    • 1979, Kiplinger's Personal Finance (volume 33, number 7, July 1979, page 47)
      Compare the nutrition information label of a regular ready-to-eat fortified cereal with that of a presweetened brand and you'll note that, although the sweetened one's sugar content is higher, the fortification is virtually identical.

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