fort
1 Americannoun
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a strong or fortified place occupied by troops and usually surrounded by walls, ditches, and other defensive works; a fortress; fortification.
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any permanent army post.
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(formerly) a trading post.
idioms
abbreviation
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fortification.
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fortified.
noun
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a fortified enclosure, building, or position able to be defended against an enemy
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informal to maintain or guard something temporarily
Etymology
Origin of fort
First recorded in 1550–60; from Middle French, noun use of adjective fort “strong,” from Latin fortis “strong, tough, hardy”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Cannons boomed from the forts lining the shore while merchants, clerks, clergy, lawyers, and omnibus drivers from Wall Street to the Bowery celebrated.
From Literature
Even if the country was never home to the coastal forts from which the trafficking of African people was organised, many enslaved people passed through it on the way to the New World.
From Barron's
When she started talking about abandoned forts with old passageways, Teddy and Freddy threw their heads back and made snoring noises.
From Literature
The region included extensive networks of forts, roads, and towns linked to the wider Roman Empire, facilitating movement across Europe, north Africa, and beyond.
From Science Daily
With six children between them, Johansson and Liikamaa are also able to take time with family while the other one holds the fort.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
