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Fortify vs Increase - What's the difference?

fortify | increase |

As verbs the difference between fortify and increase

is that fortify is to increase the defenses of; to strengthen and secure by military works; to render defensible against an attack by hostile forces while increase is (of a quantity) to become larger.

As a noun increase is

an amount by which a quantity is increased.

fortify

English

Verb

(en-verb)
  • To increase the defenses of; to strengthen and secure by military works; to render defensible against an attack by hostile forces.
  • To impart strength or vigor to.
  • * Sir Walter Scott
    • Pride came to the aid of fancy, and both combined to fortify his resolution.
  • *
  • To increase the effectiveness of, as by additional ingredients.
  • * 1979 , Kiplinger's Personal Finance (volume 33, number 7, July 1979, page 47)
    • Compare the nutrition information label of a regular ready-to-eat fortified cereal with that of a presweetened brand and you'll note that, although the sweetened one's sugar content is higher, the fortification is virtually identical.

    Related terms

    * fort * fortification * fortress

    increase

    English

    Alternative forms

    * encrease

    Verb

    (increas)
  • (of a quantity) To become larger.
  • * Bible, Genesis vii. 17
    • The waters increased and bare up the ark.
  • * Shakespeare
    • The heavens forbid / But that our loves and comforts should increase , / Even as our days do grow!
  • To make (a quantity) larger.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=July-August, author= Fenella Saunders, magazine=(American Scientist)
    • , title= Tiny Lenses See the Big Picture , passage=The single-imaging optic of the mammalian eye offers some distinct visual advantages. Such lenses can take in photons from a wide range of angles, increasing light sensitivity. They also have high spatial resolution, resolving incoming images in minute detail.}}
  • To multiply by the production of young; to be fertile, fruitful, or prolific.
  • * Sir M. Hale
    • Fishes are more numerous of increasing than beasts or birds, as appears by their numerous spawn.
  • (astronomy) To become more nearly full; to show more of the surface; to wax.
    • The Moon increases .

    Synonyms

    * (become larger) go up, grow, rise, soar (rapidly), shoot up (rapidly) * (make larger) increment, raise, (informal) up

    Antonyms

    * (become larger) decrease, drop, fall, go down, plummet (rapidly), plunge (rapidly), reduce, shrink, sink * (make larger) cut, decrease, decrement, lower, reduce

    Derived terms

    * increasable

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An amount by which a quantity is increased.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=July-August, author= Philip J. Bushnell
    • , magazine=(American Scientist), title= Solvents, Ethanol, Car Crashes & Tolerance , passage=Surprisingly, this analysis revealed that acute exposure to solvent vapors at concentrations below those associated with long-term effects appears to increase the risk of a fatal automobile accident. Furthermore, this increase in risk is comparable to the risk of death from leukemia after long-term exposure to benzene, another solvent, which has the well-known property of causing this type of cancer.}}
  • For a quantity, the act or process of becoming larger
  • (knitting) The creation of one or more new stitches; see .

    • Synonyms

    * (amount by which a quantity is increased) gain, increment, raise, rise

    Antonyms

    * (amount by which a quantity is increased) cut, decrease, decrement, drop, fall, loss, lowering, reduction, shrinkage

    External links

    * * * English ergative verbs English heteronyms 1000 English basic words