reinforced, ppl. a.
(riːɪnˈfɔəst)
[f. reinforce v. + -ed1]
1. That has been reinforced.
| 1692 Smith's Seaman's Gram. ii. vi. 94, GH the Reinforced Ring. 1710 J. Harris Lex. Techn. II, Re-inforced Ring of a Cannon, is that which is next after the Trunnions, between them and the Vent, and the Re-inforced part of a Gun, is from the Base Ring to the Re-inforced Ring. 1748 Richardson Clarissa (1768) I. 205 The reinforced orders for this hostile apparatus. 1796 Instr. & Reg. Cavalry (1813) 172 The reinforced flank or center which is to attack, is then ordered to advance. 1877 Daily News 27 Dec. 5/6 The Russian pursuing force..could not possibly assail the reinforced Turkish troops. |
2. Special collocations:
reinforced concrete, concrete with steel bars or network embedded in it to increase its tensile strength;
reinforced plastic, plastic strengthened by the inclusion of a layer of fibre (
esp. glass).
| 1902 Min. Proc. Inst. Civil Engineers CXLIX. 297 Reinforced concrete is extremely economical..where an imposing building is not required. 1906 Daily Chron. 27 Apr. 6/2 There is undoubtedly a great future for reinforced concrete. 1910 Encyl. Brit. VI. 837/2 The introduction of steel concrete (also known as ferroconcrete, armoured concrete, or reinforced concrete) is generally attributed to Joseph Monier, a French gardener. 1958 Engineering 14 Mar. 350/1 A sufficient number of reinforced-concrete buildings have now been in use for more than 50 years to show that, properly designed, reinforced concrete is as durable material as is likely to be required for most purposes. 1966 McGraw-Hill Encycl. Sci. & Technol. II. 337/1 Modern bridge abutments are usually made of reinforced concrete. 1974 Encycl. Brit. Macropædia III. 184/1 The towers are of reinforced concrete and the cables built up of strands of twisted wire. |
| 1940 Brit. Plastics Aug. (Advt. section) 5 Two-piece housing in reinforced plastic material for electric hair drying unit. 1947 W. J. Brown Fabric Reinforced Plastics iv. 76 The increasing use of reinforced plastics for engineering applications. 1959 Engineering 16 Jan. 86/1 The principal advantage of the reinforced plastics hull is the much reduced maintenance work and its easy repairability. 1971 Nature 30 July 305/1 If the exceptional properties of carbon fibres are to be utilized for engineering purposes they must be fabricated as a ‘reinforced plastic’. |