fortify
Part of speech: verb
Morphological type: simple
Topics: beverages
food
government
human-sciences
lifestyle
linguistics
military
oenology
politics
sciences
war
wine
Etymology: From Late Middle English fortifien, fortfien (“to strengthen (a castle, etc.) from attack; to strengthen (an army, etc.); to strengthen (a person), aid, support; to reinforce, support; to improve; to increase the efficacy of”), from Old French fortifier (modern French fortifier), from Late Latin fortificāre (“to strengthen, fortify”), from Latin fortis (“powerful, strong”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerǵʰ- (“to ascend, rise up; to be elevated or up high”) or *dʰerǵʰ- (“to be firm; robust, strong”)) + -ficō (suffix forming causative or factitive, or other verbs).
Inflected forms:
form: fortifies
pos: verb
tags: present
singular
third-person
form: fortifying
pos: verb
tags: participle
present
form: fortified
pos: verb
tags: participle
past
form: fortified
pos: verb
tags: past
form: no-table-tags
pos: verb
tags: table-tags
form: glossary
pos: verb
tags: inflection-template
form: fortify
pos: verb
tags: infinitive
form: fortify
pos: verb
tags: first-person
present
singular
form: fortified
pos: verb
tags: first-person
past
singular
form: fortify
pos: verb
tags: present
second-person
singular
form: fortifiest
pos: verb
tags: archaic
present
second-person
singular
form: fortified
pos: verb
tags: past
second-person
singular
form: fortifiedst
pos: verb
tags: archaic
past
second-person
singular
form: fortifies
pos: verb
tags: present
singular
third-person
form: fortifieth
pos: verb
tags: archaic
present
singular
third-person
form: fortified
pos: verb
tags: past
singular
third-person
form: fortify
pos: verb
tags: plural
present
form: fortified
pos: verb
tags: past
plural
form: fortify
pos: verb
tags: present
subjunctive
form: fortified
pos: verb
tags: past
subjunctive
form: fortify
pos: verb
tags: imperative
present
form: -
pos: verb
tags: imperative
past
form: fortifying
pos: verb
tags: participle
present
form: fortified
pos: verb
tags: participle
past
Senses:
gloss: To give power, strength, or vigour to (oneself or someone, or to something); to strengthen.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: [I]t [“oleum de costo”] fortifyeth yͤ ſtomack and Lyuer, it keepeth the hayre from fallyng of, & the head from horeneſſe [hoaryness], it cauſeth good colour, and ſauour in all the body.
[…] I preſum'd it vvill not be unvvelcome to Your Lordſhip, if I here fortifie the Speculations that have been or may be propos'd to explicate theſe things according to the Hypotheſis of the vveight of the Air, by vvhat vve tried to that purpoſe, among others, vvhen vve vvere making uſe of a Syringe in our Engine.
[T]hey admitted three thouſand into a ſhare of the Government; and thus fortified, became the cruelleſt Tyranny upon Record.
Nor must we here omit that great variety of arms with which Nature has differently fortified the bodies of several kinds of animals; such as claws, hoofs, horns, teeth, and tusks, a tail, a sting, a trunk, or a proboscis.
In the day I called, Thou [God] answeredst me; / Thou fortifiedst me with strength in my soul.
Thou [poverty] fortifiest the body, thou strengthenest the soul; and thanks to thee, this life to which the rich cling to as a rock, becomes as a skiff whose anchor death can part without awakening our despair.
gloss: To support (one's or someone's opinion, statement, etc.) by producing evidence, etc.; to confirm, to corroborate.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: And vnto that texte he wold haue made you a gloſe, that his father and he were one not in ſubſtaunce but in will. And that gloſe he would haue fortified and made ſomewhat ſemely with an other worde of Chriſt, […]
[I]t may ſerue for no ſmal iuſtification of the tranſlatour that he fortifyeth his tranſlation vvith the authority of ſuch an auncient manuſcript, vvritten aboue eleuen hundred yeares ago, […]
If he made transcendental distinctions, he fortified himself by drawing all his illustrations from sources disdained by orators and polite conversers; from mares and puppies; from pitchers and soup-ladles; from cooks and criers; the shops of potters, horse-doctors, butchers, and fishmongers.
gloss: To increase the nutritional value of (food) by adding ingredients, especially minerals or vitamins.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: Soy milk is often fortified with calcium.
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.
gloss: To impart fortitude or moral strength to (someone or their determination, or something); to encourage.
pos: verb
tags: figuratively
transitive
examples: [H]er ovvne proofe taught her to knovv her mothers minde; vvhich […] greatly fortified her deſires, to ſee, that her mother had the like deſires. And the more iealous her mother was, the more ſhe thought the Ievvell precious, vvhich vvas vvith ſo many lookes garded.
[…] I had rather vvrite of you to others, to provoke them to imitate ſo excellent an Example, than to your Self, to encourage you in your Chriſtian Courſe, and to fortifie you in your Athletick Conflicts vvith the greateſt of temporal Evils, bodily Pain and Anguiſh; […]
A young Man, before he leaves the ſhelter of his Father's Houſe and the guard of a Tutor, ſhould be fortified vvith Reſolution, and made acquainted vvith Men, to ſecure his Vertue; leſt he ſhould be led into ſome ruinous courſe, or fatal precipice, before he is ſufficiently acquainted vvith the Dangers of Converſation, and has Steadineſs enough not to yield to every Temptation.
[E]very delay gives vice another opportunity of fortifying itſelf by habit, and the change of manners, though ſincerely intended and rationally planned, is referred to the time vvhen ſome craving paſſion ſhall be fully gratified, or ſome povverful allurement ceaſe its importunity.
The princeſs fell immediately into cloſe connexions vvith the cardinal and his party, the dukes of Somerſet, Suffolk, and Buckingham; vvho, fortified by her povverful friendſhip, reſolved on the final ruin of the duke of Gloceſter.
I vvas not armed by Nature and education vvith the intrepid energy of mind and voice. […] Timidity vvas fortified by pride, and even the ſucceſs of my pen diſcouraged the trial of my voice.
So pride came to the aid of fancy, and both combined to fortify his resolution to buy the estate if possible.
Mr. Inspector, hastily fortifying himself with another glass, strolled out with a noiseless foot and an unoccupied countenance.
He pressed his friends to consult their safety by a timely flight; they unanimously refused to desert or survive their beloved master, and their courage was fortified by a fervent prayer and the assurance of paradise.
Even the sight of a very great king indeed, sarcophagused under electric light in a hall full of most fortifying pictures, does not hold him [a visitor to the Valley of the Kings, Egypt] too long.
"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."
gloss: To make (something) defensible against attack by hostile forces.
pos: verb
tags: figuratively
transitive
examples: For if they fell upon one kind of ſtrictneſſe, unleſſe their cure vvere equall to regulat all other things of like aptnes to corrupt the mind, that ſingle endeavour they knevv vvould be but a fond labour; to ſhut and fortifie one gate againſt corruption, and be neceſſitated to leave others round about vvide open.
It is, ſay the American advocates, the natural diſtinction of a freeman, and the legal privilege of an Engliſhman, that he is able to call his poſſeſſions his ovvn, that he can ſit ſecure in the enjoyment of inheritance or acquiſition, that his houſe is fortified by the lavv, and that nothing can be taken from him but by his ovvn conſent.
gloss: To make (something) structurally strong; to strengthen.
pos: verb
tags: archaic
transitive
examples: The third manner of hunting is done vvith leſſer labour: that is, foure ſtrong men armed vvith ſhields, and fortified all ouer vvith thonges of leather, and hauing helmets vpon their heades, that onely their eyes, noſes, and lips may appeare, vvith the brandiſhing of their firebrands ruſtle in vpon the lyon lying in his den: […]
If little things vvith great vve may compare, / Such are the Bees, and ſuch their native Care; / […] / To fortify the Combs, to build the VVall, / To prop the Ruins leſt the Fabrick fall: […]
gloss: To increase the defences of (an army, soldiers, etc.), or put (it or them) in a defensive position.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: Ile haue you learne to ſleepe vpon the ground, / March in your armor thorow watery fens, / […] / Then next, the way to fortifie your men, / In champion grounds, […]
They […] descended Snake river again, and encamped just above the American falls. Here they proceeded to fortify themselves, intending to remain here, and give their horses an opportunity to recruit their strength with good pasturage, until it should be time to set out for the annual rendezvous in Bear river valley.
gloss: To secure and strengthen (a place, its walls, etc.) by installing fortifications or other military works.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: But Baſilius (having bene the last day ſomevvhat vnprouided) novv had better fortified the ouerthrovvne ſconſe; and so vvell had prepared every thing for defence, that it vvas impoſſible for any valour from vvithin, to prevaile.
Moreover Agrippa vvriteth, that this vvhole coaſt of Albanie (fortified vvith thoſe high and inacceſſible mountains of Caucaſus) containeth 425 miles.
And ye haue numbred the houſes of Jeruſalem, and the houſes haue yee broken downe to fortifie the wall.
There are but Three Tovvns in the Dominions of the Prince of Monaco. The chief of 'em is ſituate on a Rock that runs out into the Sea, and is vvell fortify'd by Nature.
[B]eſides puniſhing the diſaffection of the inhabitants, by pillaging the country, the French propoſed to ſeize and fortify St. Andrevv's, and to leave there a garriſon ſufficient to bridle the mutinous ſpirit of the province, and to keep poſſeſſion of a port ſituated on the main ocean.
gloss: To provide (a city, a fortress, an army, etc.) with equipment or soldiers.
pos: verb
tags: obsolete
transitive
examples: At the ſame time, I fortified my ſelf vvith the French Captain, and the Supra Cargo, and the other Captain; […]
gloss: To add spirits to (wine) to increase the alcohol content.
pos: verb
tags: transitive
examples: Sherry is made by fortifying wine.
gloss: To install fortifications or other military works; also (sometimes figurative), to put up a defensive position.
pos: verb
tags: intransitive
examples: […] I vvill vvithdravv my ſelfe to the Riuer, & there fortifie for fiſh: for there reſteth no minute free from fight.
For ſuch a time do I novv fortifie / Againſt confounding Ages cruell knife, / That he ſhall neuer cut from memory / My ſvveet loues beauty, though my louers life.
gloss: To become strong; to strengthen.
pos: verb
tags: intransitive
obsolete
examples: But the poets and vvriters of Hiſtories are the beſt Doctors of this knovvledge, vvhere vve may finde painted fourth vvith greate life, Hovv affections are kindled and incyted: and hovv pacified and reſtrained: and hovv againe Conteyned from Act, & furder degree: hovv they diſcloſe themſelues, hovv they vvork hovv they varye, hovv they gather and fortifie, hovv they are invvrapped one vvithin another, a[n]d hovve they doe fighte and encounter one vvith another, and other the like particularityes: […]
From Peare-trees grafted upon the free-ſtock you ſhould cut off the dovvn-right root, that ſo the other roots may fortifie and extend themſelves all about to ſeeke the beſt mould.
gloss: To undergo, or cause to undergo, fortition.
pos: verb
tags: ambitransitive
Related words: fort
fortification
fortress
Derived words: biofortify
defortify
fortifiable
fortified
fortifier
fortifying
fortifyingly
overfortify
refortify
underfortify
unfortify
Translations: