noun
fort
fawt
noun
1
A strong structure built to defend a place, usually staffed with troops.
"The soldiers were stationed at a fort near the border."
"Tourists visit the old colonial fort every summer."
2
A simple structure built from furniture, blankets, or boxes as part of a game.
"The kids built a fort out of couch cushions in the living room."
How to Use Fort
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA defensive military structure, or — more playfully — a den built by children out of whatever is lying around.
Common pairings
army fort
build a fort
hold the fort
Word Forms
forted past tense, forts plural, forts singular
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The soldiers were stationed at a _____ near the border.
Etymology
From Old French fort, "strong," from Latin fortis. It shares this root with "forte" and "fortify."