fortify

verb

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

   “[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.”

   “[…] I preſum'd it vvill not be unvvelcome to Your Lordſhip, if I here fortifie the Speculations that have been or may be propos'd to explicate theſe things according to the Hypotheſis of the vveight of the Air, by vvhat vve tried to that purpoſe, among others, vvhen vve vvere making uſe of a Syringe in our Engine.”

   “[T]hey admitted three thouſand into a ſhare of the Government; and thus fortified, became the cruelleſt Tyranny upon Record.”

   “Nor must we here omit that great variety of arms with which Nature has differently fortified the bodies of several kinds of animals; such as claws, hoofs, horns, teeth, and tusks, a tail, a sting, a trunk, or a proboscis.”

   “In the day I called, Thou [God] answeredst me; / Thou fortifiedst me with strength in my soul.”

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

   “And vnto that texte he wold haue made you a gloſe, that his father and he were one not in ſubſtaunce but in will. And that gloſe he would haue fortified and made ſomewhat ſemely with an other worde of Chriſt, […]”

   “[I]t may ſerue for no ſmal iuſtification of the tranſlatour that he fortifyeth his tranſlation vvith the authority of ſuch an auncient manuſcript, vvritten aboue eleuen hundred yeares ago, […]”

   “If he made transcendental distinctions, he fortified himself by drawing all his illustrations from sources disdained by orators and polite conversers; from mares and puppies; from pitchers and soup-ladles; from cooks and criers; the shops of potters, horse-doctors, butchers, and fishmongers.”

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

   “Soy milk is often fortified with calcium.”

   “Compare the nutrition information label of a regular ready-to-eat fortified cereal with that of a presweetened brand and you'll note that, although the sweetened one's sugar content is higher, the fortification is virtually identical.”

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

   “[H]er ovvne proofe taught her to knovv her mothers minde; vvhich […] greatly fortified her deſires, to ſee, that her mother had the like deſires. And the more iealous her mother was, the more ſhe thought the Ievvell precious, vvhich vvas vvith ſo many lookes garded.”

   “[…] I had rather vvrite of you to others, to provoke them to imitate ſo excellent an Example, than to your Self, to encourage you in your Chriſtian Courſe, and to fortifie you in your Athletick Conflicts vvith the greateſt of temporal Evils, bodily Pain and Anguiſh; […]”

   “A young Man, before he leaves the ſhelter of his Father's Houſe and the guard of a Tutor, ſhould be fortified vvith Reſolution, and made acquainted vvith Men, to ſecure his Vertue; leſt he ſhould be led into ſome ruinous courſe, or fatal precipice, before he is ſufficiently acquainted vvith the Dangers of Converſation, and has Steadineſs enough not to yield to every Temptation.”

   “[E]very delay gives vice another opportunity of fortifying itſelf by habit, and the change of manners, though ſincerely intended and rationally planned, is referred to the time vvhen ſome craving paſſion ſhall be fully gratified, or ſome povverful allurement ceaſe its importunity.”

   “The princeſs fell immediately into cloſe connexions vvith the cardinal and his party, the dukes of Somerſet, Suffolk, and Buckingham; vvho, fortified by her povverful friendſhip, reſolved on the final ruin of the duke of Gloceſter.”

5. (figuratively, transitive)To make (something) defensible against attack by hostile forces.

   “For if they fell upon one kind of ſtrictneſſe, unleſſe their cure vvere equall to regulat all other things of like aptnes to corrupt the mind, that ſingle endeavour they knevv vvould be but a fond labour; to ſhut and fortifie one gate againſt corruption, and be neceſſitated to leave others round about vvide open.”

   “It is, ſay the American advocates, the natural diſtinction of a freeman, and the legal privilege of an Engliſhman, that he is able to call his poſſeſſions his ovvn, that he can ſit ſecure in the enjoyment of inheritance or acquiſition, that his houſe is fortified by the lavv, and that nothing can be taken from him but by his ovvn conſent.”

6. (archaic, transitive)To make (something) structurally strong; to strengthen.

   “The third manner of hunting is done vvith leſſer labour: that is, foure ſtrong men armed vvith ſhields, and fortified all ouer vvith thonges of leather, and hauing helmets vpon their heades, that onely their eyes, noſes, and lips may appeare, vvith the brandiſhing of their firebrands ruſtle in vpon the lyon lying in his den: […]”

   “If little things vvith great vve may compare, / Such are the Bees, and ſuch their native Care; / […] / To fortify the Combs, to build the VVall, / To prop the Ruins leſt the Fabrick fall: […]”

7. (transitive)To increase the defences of (an army, soldiers, etc.), or put (it or them) in a defensive position.

   “Ile haue you learne to ſleepe vpon the ground, / March in your armor thorow watery fens, / […] / Then next, the way to fortifie your men, / In champion grounds, […]”

   “They […] descended Snake river again, and encamped just above the American falls. Here they proceeded to fortify themselves, intending to remain here, and give their horses an opportunity to recruit their strength with good pasturage, until it should be time to set out for the annual rendezvous in Bear river valley.”

8. (transitive)To secure and strengthen (a place, its walls, etc.) by installing fortifications or other military works.

   “But Baſilius (having bene the last day ſomevvhat vnprouided) novv had better fortified the ouerthrovvne ſconſe; and so vvell had prepared every thing for defence, that it vvas impoſſible for any valour from vvithin, to prevaile.”

   “Moreover Agrippa vvriteth, that this vvhole coaſt of Albanie (fortified vvith thoſe high and inacceſſible mountains of Caucaſus) containeth 425 miles.”

   “And ye haue numbred the houſes of Jeruſalem, and the houſes haue yee broken downe to fortifie the wall.”

   “There are but Three Tovvns in the Dominions of the Prince of Monaco. The chief of 'em is ſituate on a Rock that runs out into the Sea, and is vvell fortify'd by Nature.”

   “[B]eſides puniſhing the diſaffection of the inhabitants, by pillaging the country, the French propoſed to ſeize and fortify St. Andrevv's, and to leave there a garriſon ſufficient to bridle the mutinous ſpirit of the province, and to keep poſſeſſion of a port ſituated on the main ocean.”

9. (obsolete, transitive)To provide (a city, a fortress, an army, etc.) with equipment or soldiers.

   “At the ſame time, I fortified my ſelf vvith the French Captain, and the Supra Cargo, and the other Captain; […]”

10. (transitive)To add spirits to (wine) to increase the alcohol content.

    “Sherry is made by fortifying wine.”

11. (intransitive)To install fortifications or other military works; also (sometimes figurative), to put up a defensive position.

    “[…] I vvill vvithdravv my ſelfe to the Riuer, & there fortifie for fiſh: for there reſteth no minute free from fight.”

    “For ſuch a time do I novv fortifie / Againſt confounding Ages cruell knife, / That he ſhall neuer cut from memory / My ſvveet loues beauty, though my louers life.”

12. (intransitive, obsolete)To become strong; to strengthen.

    “From Peare-trees grafted upon the free-ſtock you ſhould cut off the dovvn-right root, that ſo the other roots may fortifie and extend themſelves all about to ſeeke the beſt mould.”

13. (ambitransitive)To undergo, or cause to undergo, fortition.