fortify

/'fɔ:tifai/

Definition

Verb:
- To strengthen a place with defensive works: To make a location more secure against attack by building or adding military defenses such as walls, trenches, or forts.
- To strengthen or invigorate physically or mentally: To make a person, their body, or their mind stronger, more resilient, or more vigorous.
- To add substances to increase strength or nutritional value: To enhance food or drink by adding ingredients, such as vitamins to food or alcohol to beverages, to make it more potent or nutritious.

Usage and Examples

Strengthening a place:
- The soldiers worked to fortify the castle walls before the siege.
- They decided to fortify the coastal border with new observation posts.
Strengthening a person or quality:
- A good breakfast can fortify you for the long day ahead.
- She read inspirational stories to fortify her resolve.
Adding substances to food/drink:
- This brand of orange juice is fortified with calcium and vitamin D.
- Historically, sailors drank wine fortified with brandy to prevent spoilage.

Advanced Usage

"Fortify oneself against something": To prepare mentally or emotionally to withstand something difficult.
- He fortified himself against the bad news by thinking positive thoughts.
In a figurative sense: To provide support or justification.
- The new data fortifies the researcher's original hypothesis.

Variants and Related Words

Fortification (n): 1. The act of fortifying. 2. A defensive structure, such as a wall or fort.
- The ancient fortifications around the city are still visible.
Fortified (adj): 1. (Of a place) strengthened with defensive structures. 2. (Of food/drink) having added nutrients or alcohol.
- We toured a fortified medieval town.
- Fortified cereals are common.

Synonyms

Related Phrasal Verbs/Constructions

Fortify against: To strengthen defenses in preparation for a specific threat.
- The town fortified itself against the expected invasion.

Related Idioms

"Fortify one's position": To strengthen one's strategic, argumentative, or physical standing.
- The lawyer presented new evidence to fortify her position in the case.

Verb

add alcohol to (beverages)
- the punch is spiked!
add nutrients to
- fortified milk
prepare oneself for a military confrontation
- The U.S. is girding for a conflict in the Middle East
- troops are building up on the Iraqi border
enclose by or as if by a fortification
make strong or stronger
- This exercise will strengthen your upper body
- strengthen the relations between the two countries

Khám phá thêm

Các từ liên quan

Từ đồng nghĩa

Từ trái nghĩa

Từ gần giống

Từ có nhắc đến "fortify"