fortify, v.
(ˈfɔːtɪfaɪ)
[ad. F. fortifier, ad. L. fortificāre, f. fortis strong + -ficāre: see -fy.]
I. To make strong.
1. a. trans. To strengthen structurally. Now somewhat rare.
| c 1450 Merlin 187 He made to a-mende and fortyfie the wallis of the town ther, as thei were most feble. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 262 The grave experienc'd Bee..Employ'd at home..To fortify the Combs, to build the Wall. 1726 Leoni tr. Alberti's Archit. II. 113/2 They shou'd also be fortifyed all round with strong brick work. 1886 Willis & Clark Cambridge III. 545 Fortifying the wood-work of the Dome and Lantern. |
b. spec. To strengthen (a gun) by additional thickness of metal.
Cf. fortification 5 c. Also, to strengthen (a ship) for especial emergency, by means of additional timbers, etc.
| 1627 Capt. Smith Seaman's Gram. xiv. 71 Those small Peeces are better fortified than the greater. 1669 Sturmy Mariner's Mag. v. 62 You must work as if the Piece were fortified no more than only so much as the thinnest part of the Metal is. 1820 Scoresby Acc. Arctic Reg. II. 508 The new ship..is fortified within the bow. 1853 Kane Grinnell Exp. xv. (1856) 112 She was..fortified with three additional strips of boiler iron. |
c. To cover or bind with some protective material or appliance. (Now coloured by senses 7–8.)
| 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 372 Men armed with shields, and fortified all over with thongs of leather. 1669 Boyle Contn. New Exp. ii. (1682) 21 A little [air] brake into the Reciever..because I had neglected to fortifie the cover with Turpentine. 1697 Potter Antiq. Greece iii. xv. (1715) 130 The whole Fabrick..was fortified with Pitch to secure the Wood from the Waters. 1706 Hearne Collect. 7 Feb., Being us'd to fortifie himself against weather by..a thick Robe. 1798 W. Blair Soldier's Friend 31 Ingenious modes of fortifying shoes, and rendering them water-proof. 1803 Wellington 20 Jan. in Gurw. Desp. I. 397 Kegs of six gallons each, well fortified with iron hoops. 1850 Merivale Rom. Emp. (1865) I. v. 193 Camillus..fortified the shield with a rim of metal. |
2. To impart strength or vigour to (the body, its organs, or powers,
† a plant); to give (a person, oneself) strength or endurance for some effort.
| 14.. Lydg. & Burgh Secrees 1959 Wyn..ffortefieth the heete in the body natural. 1578 Lyte Dodoens ii. lxxi. 241 It doth fortefie and strengthen the harte. 1686 W. Harris tr. Lemery's Course Chem. ii. xxii. (ed. 3) 624 The Turks will take of it [opium] to the bigness of a hazle Nut to fortifie themselves when they are going to fight. 1691 Ray Creation Ded. (1704) 3 To fortifie you in your Athletic Conflicts. 1719 London & Wise Compl. Gard. 212 We endeavour to fortifie it, and make it grow big all Summer, by watering and cropping it. 1849 R. T. Claridge Cold Water-cure 42 Cold water, as a beverage, fortifies the stomach and intestines. 1865 Dickens Mut. Fr. i. xiii, Mr. Inspector hastily fortifying himself with another glass. |
† 3. a. To render more powerful or effective; to strengthen, reinforce with additional resources or co-operation; to garrison (a fortress); to provide (an army, etc.) with necessaries.
Obs.| 1470–85 Malory Arthur i. xviii, They had..moo than eyght thousand for to fortyfye alle the fortresses in the marches of Cornewaylle. 1480 Robt. Devyll in Thoms Prose Rom. 6 He ever prayed to God to send hym a chyld..to multyply and fortyfy his lynage. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. lxxii. 94 The countesse..fortifyed all her garisons of euery thyng y{supt} they wanted. 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VI (an. 31) 165 He fortified Burdeaux with Englishmen and victayle. 1612 Woodall Surg. Mate Wks. (1653) 190 It fortifieth the other medicines, and doubleth their forces. 1670 Cotton Espernon i. ii. 69 The Inhabitants of the Suburbs of St. Germains were order'd to slip in to fortifie the attempt. 1701 Swift Contests Nobles & Com. Wks. 1755 II. i. 11 They admitted three thousand into a share of the government; and thus fortified, became the cruellest tyranny upon record. 1725 De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 28, I fortified myself with the French captain, and the supercargo. |
b. To arm, strengthen with weapons.
Cf. 7.
rare.
| 1711 Addison Spect. No. 121 ¶3 That great Variety of Arms with which Nature has differently fortified the Bodies of several kind of Animals, such as Claws, Hoofs, and Horns. |
4. a. To strengthen (liquors) with alcohol.
| 1880 Act 43 & 44 Vict. c. 24 §70 Any spirits warehoused..may be used in the warehouse for fortifying wines. 1894 C. N. Robinson Brit. Fleet 142 In 1869 the present practice of fortifying the [lime] juice with rum was resorted to. |
b. To add nutrients, usually vitamins, to (food).
| 1940 Nature 27 July 118/2 There will now be two outstanding examples of fortified foodstuffs, bread and margarine. 1941 Ann. Reg. 1940 345 Recognition..of the need to fortify various products such as bread, margarine etc., with vitamins. 1942 Endeavour I. i. 30/2, 1 gram of calciferol is sufficient to fortify 40 tons of margarine. 1967 New Scientist 9 Nov. 328/3 By 1969..all emergency shipments of grain will be fortified to the optimal extent either with amino acids or with protein concentrates. |
5. a. To strengthen mentally or morally; to endow with immaterial resources; to impart fortitude to; to cheer, encourage.
| 1477 Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes 19 It apparteigneth to euery man..to seke science and ther with to fortiffie hym hauyng a good eye vpon his enemyes. 1573 Baret Alv. F 948 To haue a hart fortified with wisedome. a 1586 Sidney Arcadia ii. (1629) 111 Which..so greatly fortified her desires, to see that her mother had the like desires. 1699 Locke Educ. §70. 100 A young Man, before he leaves the shelter of his Father's House, should be fortified with Resolution to secure his Vertue. 1751 Johnson Rambler No. 155 ¶8 Every delay gives vice another opportunity of fortifying itself by habit. 1761 Hume Hist. Eng. II. xxiii. 69 The king..fortified by this unsuccessful attempt to dethrone him. a 1794 Gibbon Life viii. (1839) 238 Timidity was fortified by pride. 1865 M. Arnold Ess. Crit. vii. (1875) 269 Their courage was fortified by a fervent prayer. |
b. To confirm, corroborate, add support to (a statement, etc.).
to fortify oneself: to confirm one's statement, etc.
† Also (
rarely)
intr. for refl.| c 1449 Pecock Repr. 285 To fortofie and strength the same badde answere. 1529 More Dyaloge i. Wks. 164/1 That glose he would haue fortified..with another worde of Christ. c 1532 G. Du Wes Introd. Fr. in Palsgr. 1063 My lorde the President fortifyeng sayd that we be nat bounde by the lawe to say. 1678 Trans. Crt. Spain 5 To fortifie his Reasons, he sent us a Manifesto. 1833 H. Martineau Loom & Lugger ii. v. 96 A distinct charge is brought against you, fortified by particulars. 1847 Emerson Repr. Men, Plato Wks. (Bohn) I. 295 If he made transcendental distinctions, he fortified himself by drawing all his illustrations from sources disdained by orators. |
† 6. intr. To gain strength, grow strong.
Obs.| 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. ii. xxii. §6 How they [the affections] gather and fortify. 1658 Evelyn Fr. Gard. (1675) 165 Leaving the least to bear seed, and that the plant may fortifie. 1660 Sharrock Vegetables 126 Bind up..the strongest and forwardest first, letting the other fortifie. |
II. To strengthen against attack.
7. trans. To provide (a town or its walls) with defensive works; to protect with fortifications.
| 1436 Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 166 To fortefye anone he dyd devyse Of englysshe townes iij. 1485 Caxton Chas. Gt. (1880) 165 The walles of that cyte ben fortefyed with towres. 1582 N. Lichefield tr. Castanheda's Conq. E. Ind. lvii. 120 All their houses well fortified with sundry trenches round about. 1611 Bible Isa. xxii. 10 The houses haue yee broken downe to fortifie the wall. 1759 Robertson Hist. Scot. I. ii. 152 These were immediately commanded to fortify Leith. 1816 Keatinge Trav. (1817) I. 86 It is environed with walls, but not regularly fortified. 1893 Academy 13 May 411/2 The opposite bank..was admirably fortified. |
| transf. 1601 Holland Pliny I. 111 This isle is fortified with the mount Prion. 1705 Addison Italy 8 A Rock that runs out into the Sea, and is well fortify'd by Nature. 1726 Leoni tr. Alberti's Archit. II. 121/1 A Pier..to fortifie a Port. |
| fig. 1548 Hall Chron., Rich. III (an. 3) 42 b, Realmes and countries are fortified and munited with a double power. 1644 Milton Areop. (Arb.) 50 Shut and fortifie one gate against corruption. 1775 Johnson Tax. no Tyr. 31 His house is fortified by the law. 1850 Merivale Rom. Emp. (1865) I. ix. 355 He..fortified his position against the malevolence of a future consul. |
8. To surround (an army, oneself) with defences; to put in a position of defence.
| 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. V (an. 3) 48 b, The fotemen were hedged about with the stakes..This device of fortifiyng an army was at this tyme fyrst invented. 1590 Marlowe 2nd Pt. Tamburl. iii. ii, I'll have you learn..the way to fortify your men. 1837 W. Irving Capt. Bonneville III. 47 Here they proceeded to fortify themselves. |
9. intr. To erect fortifications; to establish a position of defence.
| 1570–6 Lambarde Peramb. Kent. (1826) 185 Sailing up the River of Thamise, he fortifieth at Middleton. c 1600 Sir R. Cecil Let. in Naunton Fragm. Reg. (Arb.) 61 They will first fortifie and learn the strength of the Rebels. 1774 Pennant Tour Scotl. in 1772. 293 No people will give them⁓selves the trouble of fortifying amidst the security of friends. a 1885 U. S. Grant Personal Mem. I. 331 The enemy was fortifying at Corinth. |
| transf. and fig. 1591 Lyly Endym. i. iii, I will withdraw myselfe to the river, and there fortifie for fish. c 1600 Shakes. Sonn. lxiii, For such a time do I now fortifie Against confounding Ages cruell knife. |
Hence
ˈfortifying ppl. a.| 1863 B. Jerrold Sign. Distress 22 Soup, made of sound and fortifying materials. 1872 Bagehot Physics & Pol. (1876) 217 The fortifying religions..those which lay the plainest stress on the manly parts of morality. |