[fawr-tuh-fahy] 
verb, -fied, -fy⋅ing.| 1. | to protect or strengthen against attack; surround or provide with defensive military works. |
| 2. | to furnish with a means of resisting force or standing strain or wear: to fortify cotton with nylon. |
| 3. | to make strong; impart strength or vigor to: to fortify oneself with a good breakfast. |
| 4. | to increase the effectiveness of, as by additional ingredients: to fortify a diet with vitamins; to fortify a lotion with lanolin. |
| 5. | to strengthen mentally or morally: to be fortified by religious faith. |
| 6. | to confirm or corroborate: to fortify an accusation with facts. |
| 7. | Nutrition. to add one or more ingredients to (a food) to increase its nutritional content. |
| 8. | to add alcohol to (wine or the like). |
| 9. | to set up defensive works; erect fortifications. |
| for·ti·fy (fôr'tə-fī') v. for·ti·fied, for·ti·fy·ing, for·ti·fies v. tr. To make strong, as: a. To strengthen and secure (a position) with fortifications. v. intr. To build fortifications. [Middle English fortifien, from Old French fortifier, from Late Latin fortificāre, from Latin fortis, strong; see bhergh-2 in Indo-European roots.] for'ti·fi'a·ble adj., for'ti·fi'er n., for'ti·fy'ing·ly adv. |