fortify. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

The American Heritage^® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

fortify

SYLLABICATION:	for·ti·fy
PRONUNCIATION:	fôrt-f
VERB:	Inflected forms: for·ti·fied, for·ti·fy·ing, for·ti·fies
TRANSITIVE VERB:	To make strong, as: a. To strengthen and secure (a position) with fortifications. b. To reinforce by adding material. c. To impart physical strength or endurance to; invigorate. d. To give emotional, moral, or mental strength to; encourage: Prayer fortified us during our crisis. e. To strengthen or enrich (food, for example), as by adding vitamins.
INTRANSITIVE VERB:	To build fortifications.
ETYMOLOGY:	Middle English fortifien, from Old French fortifier, from Late Latin fortificre, from Latin fortis, strong. See bhergh-² in Appendix I.
OTHER FORMS:	forti·fia·ble —ADJECTIVE forti·fier —NOUN forti·fying·ly —ADVERB


The American Heritage^® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.