fortalice
(ˈfɔːtəlɪs)
Forms: 5 fortalys, -alyce, fortilitie, 6 fortilesse, fortilage, fortelleze, fortelace, 7, 9 fortiless, 9 -alise, 6– fortalice.
[The surviving form, which is also the earliest recorded, is ad. med.L. fortalitia, fortalitium, a derivative of fortis strong; cf Pr., Sp., Pg. fortaleza, It. fortalizio, fortilizio, OF. fortelesce (cf. the parallel formation forteresce fortress). Some of the obsolete forms are from Fr. or other Romanic langs.]
In early use = fortress; by mod. writers chiefly used for: ‘A small outwork of a fortification’ (W.); a small fort.
| c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. viii. xxix. 31 Ðare-in þai made a Fortalyce. 1494 Act 11 Hen. VII, c. 18 Any Person..being in his Service within his Towns and Fortilities of Berwick and Carlyle. 1560 Rolland Crt. Venus ii. 847 With stark draw brig, weil forcit with fortalice. 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. xii. 43 Nought feard their force, that fortilage to win. 1642 Prynne Sov. Antidote 24 Castles, Fortresses, Fortilesses. 1754 Erskine Princ. Sc. Law (1809) 181 Fortalices, or small places of strength. 1816 Scott Old Mort. xi, The fortalice thus commanding both bridge and pass. 1870 Echo 9 Nov., We canter off to the as yet unfinished fortalice of Des Bordes. |
transf. and fig.
| 1826 Scott Woodst. xxii, This makes Understanding bar himself up within his fortalise. 1830 Marryat King's Own xxxiii, Seymour and Jerry descended from their little fortalice aloft. 1884 Mag. of Art Jan. 102 In the circular fortalice on its [an elephant's] back are troopers with buff coats. 1887 Ruskin Præterita II. 393 A majestic, but unterrific fortalice of cliff, forest, and meadow. |