FORTIFY (fortified)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected form: fortified   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does fortify mean? 

• FORTIFY (verb)
  The verb FORTIFY has 5 senses:

1. make strong or stronger

2. enclose by or as if by a fortification

3. prepare oneself for a military confrontation

4. add nutrients to

5. add alcohol to (beverages)

  Familiarity information: FORTIFY used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FORTIFY (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they fortify    ... he / she / it fortifies   
Past simple: fortified   
Past participle: fortified   
-ing form: fortifying   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make strong or stronger

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

beef up; fortify; strengthen

Context example:

strengthen the relations between the two countries

Hypernyms (to "fortify" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Cause:

strengthen (gain strength)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fortify"):

vitalise; vitalize (make more lively or vigorous)

ruggedise; ruggedize (produce in a version designed to withstand rough usage)

substantiate (solidify, firm, or strengthen)

restrengthen (make strong again)

brace up; undergird (make secure underneath)

confirm (make more firm)

reenforce; reinforce (make stronger)

buttress (make stronger or defensible)

brace; stabilise; stabilize; steady (support or hold steady and make steadfast, with or as if with a brace)

batten (secure with battens)

batten; batten down; secure (furnish with battens)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

fortification (the addition of an ingredient for the purpose of enrichment (as the addition of alcohol to wine or the addition of vitamins to food))

fortification (the art or science of strengthening defenses)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Enclose by or as if by a fortification

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

fort; fortify

Hypernyms (to "fortify" is one way to...):

close in; enclose; inclose; shut in (surround completely)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fortify"):

trench (fortify by surrounding with trenches)

embattle (fortify by furnishing with battlements for defense)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

fort (a fortified defensive structure)

fort (a fortified military post where troops are stationed)

fortification (defensive structure consisting of walls or mounds built around a stronghold to strengthen it)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Prepare oneself for a military confrontation

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

arm; build up; fortify; gird

Context example:

troops are building up on the Iraqi border

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "fortify"):

re-arm; rearm (arm anew)

forearm (arm in advance of a confrontation)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

fort (a fortified military post where troops are stationed)

fortification (the art or science of strengthening defenses)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Add nutrients to

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

fortified milk

Hypernyms (to "fortify" is one way to...):

add (make an addition (to); join or combine or unite with others; increase the quality, quantity, size or scope of)

Domain category:

cookery; cooking; preparation (the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

fortification (the addition of an ingredient for the purpose of enrichment (as the addition of alcohol to wine or the addition of vitamins to food))

Sense 5

Meaning:

Add alcohol to (beverages)

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

fortify; lace; spike

Context example:

the punch is spiked!

Hypernyms (to "fortify" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Domain category:

cookery; cooking; preparation (the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

fortification (the addition of an ingredient for the purpose of enrichment (as the addition of alcohol to wine or the addition of vitamins to food))

 Context examples 

She would rather die than own the truth; and she hoped, by a little reflection, to fortify herself beyond betraying it.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Parboiling whole grain fortifies polished rice grain with calcium by 213 per cent. This is thought to be due to migration of calcium from the outer layer of rice to inner layers during parboiling.

(Parboiling husked rice reduces arsenic content, SciDev.Net)

For some time Mrs. Crupp could only lay her hand upon her nankeen bosom, and fortify herself against returning pain with sips of her medicine.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

An micronutrient-fortified fermented dairy product with potential positive immunomodulatory activity.

(Micronutrient-Fortified Probiotic Yogurt, NCI Thesaurus)

Synthetic folate in fortified foods and supplements containing a single glutamate molecule.

(Folic Acid, NCI Thesaurus/CRCH)

And thus fortified, as I supposed, on every side, I began to profit by the strange immunities of my position.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Professor Dale describes the development of the bio-fortified banana as a significant humanitarian project.

(Golden Bananas High in Pro-Vitamin A Developed, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Supplements including folic acid have been shown to greatly reduce birth defects, so much so that food in many countries is fortified with this particular B vitamin.

(New Genetic Discovery May Eventually End Premature Birth, VOA)

It said fortified infant cereals were relatively cheap in high- and upper middle-income countries but very expensive in low-income countries, where undernutrition in early childhood is most prevalent.

(High cost of healthy food to blame for malnutrition, SciDev.Net)

One Dietary Folate Equivalent (DFE) = 1 microgram food folate = 0.6 microgram folic acid from supplements and fortified food.

(Dietary Folate Equivalent, NCI Thesaurus)