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

1. gather in, or as if in, a fort, as for protection or defense