fort up
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Verb: - To gather together in, or as if in, a fortified place for protection or defense. It implies retreating to a secure location and preparing to defend it.
Usage
This verb describes the action of people or a group moving into a strong, defensible position, often in response to a perceived threat. It can be used literally, referring to an actual fort or sturdy building, or figuratively, to describe withdrawing to any safe, secure place.
Examples
Literal Use:
- When the enemy was spotted, the settlers decided to fort up in the old stockade.
- The villagers forted up in the church, which had thick stone walls.
Figurative Use:
- After the scandal broke, the CEO forted up in her office and refused all calls.
- We should fort up at the cabin until the storm passes.
Advanced Usage
- "to fort up against [something]": To take defensive shelter specifically to withstand a particular threat.
- The residents forted up against the approaching hurricane.
Variants and Related Words
- Fortify (verb): To strengthen a place with defensive works. (e.g., )
- Fort (noun): A fortified building or strategic position.
- Hold up (verb): While often meaning to rob, it can colloquially mean to take shelter. (Note: This is a different phrasal verb.)
Synonyms
- Barricade oneself: To block oneself in for protection.
- Hole up: To hide or take shelter in a secluded place.
- Take refuge: To seek safety or shelter.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Hunker down: To settle in for a period of difficulty or danger.
- Similar to "fort up," but "hunker down" emphasizes staying low and enduring, while "fort up" emphasizes seeking a defensible structure.
Related Idioms
- Circle the wagons: To become defensive and protect the group from an outside threat.
- This idiom is very similar in figurative meaning to "fort up," implying a defensive posture against criticism or attack.
Verb
- gather in, or as if in, a fort, as for protection or defense