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Forge vs Strengthen - What's the difference?

forge | strengthen |

As verbs the difference between forge and strengthen

is that forge is to shape a metal by heating and hammering while strengthen is to make strong or stronger; to add strength to; to increase the strength of; to fortify; to reinforce.

As a noun forge

is furnace or hearth where metals are heated prior to hammering them into shape.

forge

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) forge, early Old French faverge, from (etyl) (genitive fabri).

Noun

(wikipedia forge) (en noun)
  • Furnace or hearth where metals are heated prior to hammering them into shape.
  • Workshop in which metals are shaped by heating and hammering them.
  • The act of beating or working iron or steel.
  • * Francis Bacon
  • In the greater bodies the forge was easy.

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) forger, from (etyl) forgier, from (etyl) .

    Verb

  • (lb) To shape a metal by heating and hammering.
  • *(William Shakespeare) (c.1564–1616)
  • *:Mars's armor forged for proof eterne
  • *
  • *:Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out.. Ikey the blacksmith had forged us a spearhead after a sketch from a picture of a Greek warrior; and a rake-handle served as a shaft.
  • To form or create with concerted effort.
  • :
  • *(John Locke) (1632-1705)
  • *:Those names that the schools forged , and put into the mouth of scholars, could never get admittance into common use.
  • * (1809-1892)
  • *:do forge a life-long trouble for ourselves.
  • To create a forgery of; to make a counterfeit item of; to copy or imitate unlawfully.
  • :
  • To make falsely; to produce, as that which is untrue or not genuine; to fabricate.
  • *1663 , , (Hudibras)
  • *:That paltry story is untrue, / And forged to cheat such gulls as you.
  • Etymology 3

    Make way, move ahead'', most likely an alteration of ''force , but perhaps from , via notion of steady hammering at something. Originally nautical, in referrence to vessels.

    Verb

  • (often as forge ahead ) To move forward heavily and slowly (originally as a ship); to advance gradually but steadily; to proceed towards a goal in the face of resistance or difficulty.
  • The party of explorers forged through the thick underbrush.
    We decided to forge ahead with our plans even though our biggest underwriter backed out.
  • * De Quincey
  • And off she [a ship] forged without a shock.
  • (sometimes as forge ahead ) To advance, move or act with an abrupt increase in speed or energy.
  • With seconds left in the race, the runner forged into first place.
    Derived terms
    * forgery

    See also

    * fabricate * make up * blacksmith

    Anagrams

    * ----

    strengthen

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (lb) To make strong or stronger; to add strength to; to increase the strength of; to fortify; to reinforce.
  • :
  • *(William Shakespeare) (c.1564–1616)
  • *:Let noble Warwick, Cobham, and the rest,/ With powerful policy strengthen themselves.
  • *1851 , Anonymous, Arthur Hamilton, and His Dog
  • *:A little hardship, and a little struggling with the rougher elements of life, will perchance but strengthen and increase his courage, and prepare him for the conflicts and struggles of after years.
  • (lb) To animate; to give moral strength to; to encourage; to fix in resolution; to hearten.
  • *(Bible), (w) iii. 28
  • *:Charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him.
  • *
  • *:"A fine man, that Dunwody, yonder," commented the young captain, as they parted, and as he turned to his prisoner. "We'll see him on in Washington some day. He is strengthening his forces now against Mr. Benton out there.."
  • (lb) To augment; to improve; to intensify.
  • (lb) To grow strong or stronger.
  • Antonyms

    * atrophy

    Derived terms

    * strengthener