Fortify
/ˈfɔːrtɪfaɪ/
verbB2
Definition
Fortify means to make a place, object, or person stronger, especially to protect against danger or attack. It can also mean to add strength to ideas, feelings, or health by giving more support or help.
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See It in Action
To strengthen a place or structure to protect it
- •They fortified the city walls before the attack.
- •The soldiers worked all night to fortify the camp.
- •The castle was fortified with thick stone walls.
To strengthen or improve something non-physical like health or ideas
- •Drinking orange juice can fortify your immune system.
- •The speech was meant to fortify people's courage.
- •Vitamins help fortify the body against illness.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "fortify" like "make strong," but more about adding protection or support to keep something safe.
- ✓Picture a castle with tall, thick walls and strong doors that stop enemies from coming in.
- ✓It's the feeling when you prepare well for a test or a game to be ready and confident.
- ✓Sounds like "fort-eye" → imagine a strong fort with an eye watching carefully to protect everything inside.
- ✓Think of stories where heroes build walls or shields to protect their home from danger.
- ✓NOT like "break" (which means to make weaker), fortify means to make stronger and safer.
- ✓NOT like "fix" (which means to repair something broken), fortify means to add strength even if nothing is broken.
- ✓NOT like "build" (which means to create something new), fortify means to improve or protect what already exists.
Try Other Words
- •Strengthen: to make stronger (Use when talking about general improvement or power)
- •Protect: to keep safe from harm (Use when the focus is on safety rather than adding physical strength)
- •Secure: to make safe and certain (Use when focusing on safety and stability)
- •Reinforce: to add extra support (Use when adding more material or help to make something stronger)
Unboxing
- •Prefix: "fort-" means strong or related to a fort (a strong place)
- •Root: "ify" is a suffix that means "to make" or "to cause to be"
- •Etymology: From Latin "fortificare," meaning "to make strong"
- •Historical development: Originally used for building strong walls or defenses around towns or castles
- •Modern usage: Used both for physical protection (like buildings) and for making health, courage, or ideas stronger
Reflect & Connect
•How can you fortify your own skills or knowledge to be better prepared for challenges?
•What are some things in daily life that people might fortify to feel safer or stronger?
Fill in the blanks
1.Soldiers worked hard to fortify the ___ before the enemy arrived.
2.Drinking milk and eating healthy foods can help fortify your ___ against sickness.
3.To fortify a building means to add ___ that make it harder to break or enter.
4.When people feel nervous, a strong speech can fortify their ___ to face problems.
5.Fortify is different from just repairing because it means to add ___, not only fix damage.
6.To fortify a position, you usually add walls, fences, or ___ to make it safer.
7.If you want to fortify your mind, you might ___ reading and learning new things.