Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The science of fortifying.
  • noun The act or process of fortifying.
  • noun Something that serves to fortify, especially military works erected to fortify a position or place.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The act of fortifying or strengthening.
  • noun The art or science of strengthening military positions in such a way that they may be defended by a body of men much inferior in number to those by whom they are attacked.
  • noun That which fortifies, strengthens, or protects.
  • noun Specifically A military work, consisting of a wall, ditch, palisades, etc., constructed for the purpose of strengthening a position; a fortified place; a fort; a castle.
  • noun the polygonal or caponiere system
  • noun the tenailled system, and
  • noun the bastioned system. To these in modern times may be added the armored or turreted system. Mahan. Synonyms Fortification, Bulwark, Castle, Citadel, Fort, Fortress, Mamelon, Rampart, Redan, Redoubt. Fortification is the only one of these words that is used for the art or science, or for all classes of defensive works; the others represent kinds of fortification. Thus, fortress represents a large, and fort, generally, but not always, a smaller stronghold, defensible on all sides, as Fortress Monroe, Fort Sumter. See the definitions of the words.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The act of fortifying; the art or science of fortifying places in order to defend them against an enemy.
  • noun That which fortifies; especially, a work or works erected to defend a place against attack; a fortified place; a fortress; a fort; a castle.
  • noun Scotch pebble.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The act of fortifying; the art or science of fortifying places to strengthen defence against an enemy.
  • noun That which fortifies; especially, a work or works erected to defend a place against attack; a fortified place; a fortress; a fort; a castle.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun defensive structure consisting of walls or mounds built around a stronghold to strengthen it
  • noun the addition of an ingredient for the purpose of enrichment (as the addition of alcohol to wine or the addition of vitamins to food)
  • noun the art or science of strengthening defenses

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin fortificātiō.

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Examples

  • OSHRI: This is what I identify as fortification wall.

    CNN Transcript Dec 24, 2005 2005

  • Okay, lastly, the fortification is more than just the wall.

    Hadrian's Wall Day #1 lili 2009

  • Well know the Sea Dragon of seaport fortification is V. Family against and blance to D. Land important stratagem main.

    Mini Star | SciFi, Fantasy & Horror Collectibles 2009

  • Okay, lastly, the fortification is more than just the wall.

    Archive 2009-09-01 lili 2009

  • Pagondas speaks to the Boeotian army to encourage it to attack the Athenians; he calls the fortification of Delium an assault that must be repulsed.

    THE LANDMARK THUCYDIDES Robert B. Strassler 2003

  • Pagondas speaks to the Boeotian army to encourage it to attack the Athenians; he calls the fortification of Delium an assault that must be repulsed.

    THE LANDMARK THUCYDIDES Robert B. Strassler 2003

  • For a touch of the classical, they called the fortification the Campus

    The Old Northwest : A chronicle of the Ohio Valley and beyond Frederic Austin Ogg 1914

  • Self-fortification is one of the goals here; likewise the psychic eradication of other people.)

    Home Alone 2006

  • Self-fortification is one of the goals here; likewise the psychic eradication of other people.)

    Home Alone 2006

  • The fortification was a modern version of the Boers 'defensive circle of wagons, a celebrated aspect of Afrikaner culture.

    ANC Daily News Briefing 1994

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