fort
gb/fˈɔɹt/ us/fˈɔɹt/
A2
English
~ 2400
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
A military stronghold
A strong building made to protect a place from attack.
Usage pattern:
[someone] builds/attacks/defends a fort
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'fort' with 'forte' (strength), which is unrelated in meaning.
Synonyms
stronghold (Often used more broadly for any defended place, not just a military building.)
|
garrison (Refers more to the troops stationed in the building than to the building itself.)
Antonyms
open field (An area with no defensive structures, opposite of a fortified place.)
Collocations
army fort
|border fort
|stone fort
|military fort
Themes
military
|history
|architecture
|law
|politics
|travel
Examples
- The soldiers took shelter inside the fort.
- We visited an old Spanish fort by the coast.
- The army built a fort to protect the border.
Learner examples
- The fort is on the hill.
- We saw a big fort near the sea.
- The fort keeps the city safe.
Noun
A2
entity
2
Children's play fort
A small building or tent children make to play in.
Synonyms
playhouse (Usually smaller and more house-like, not defensive.)
Antonyms
open space (An area without any structure for hiding or playing.)
Collocations
blanket fort
|snow fort
|tree fort
Themes
daily life
|childhood
|daily_life
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The kids built a blanket fort in the living room.
- We made a snow fort after the storm.
- He spent the afternoon in his tree fort.
Learner examples
- We made a fort with chairs and blankets.
- They built a snow fort in the park.
- I have a tree fort in my yard.
Grammar
Dictionary form
fort
IPA
GB/fˈɔɹt/
US/fˈɔɹt/
Syllables & stress
fort (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (fort)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: fort
- Plural: forts
Word family
Expressions
hold the fort
1/hˈoʊld ðə fˈɔɹt/
idiom
Take care temporarily
To be in charge of a place or job while the usual person is away.
Examples
- Can you hold the fort while I run to the store?
- She held the fort while her boss was on vacation.
home is my fort
1/hˈoʊm ˈɪz mˈaɪ fˈɔɹt/
idiom
informal
Home as protected space
Used to say that home is where you feel safe and in control.
Examples
- I don't go out much; my home is my fort.
- His home is his fort, and he doesn't like visitors.