fortify

CEFRB2

/ˈfɔːtɪfaɪ/

verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    To strengthen a place, person, or feeling against difficulty.

  2. 02

    verb

    Extra detail

    To increase the nutritional value of (food) by adding ingredients, especially minerals or vitamins.

Examples

  • Fadil and Dania were ready to do anything to fortify their relationship.

  • We must fortify the settlement before someone tries to attack it.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
1

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings

  1. To support (one's or someone's opinion, statement, etc.) by producing evidence, etc.; to confirm, to corroborate.

  2. To give power, strength, or vigour to (oneself or someone, or to something); to strengthen.

  3. To impart fortitude or moral strength to (someone or their determination, or something); to encourage.

More examples

In context

  • Soy milk is often fortified with calcium.

  • Sherry is made by fortifying wine.

  • [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.

Synonyms

Quick test

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The troops decided to blank the walls with extra sandbags before the attack.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

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Origin

verb

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).