Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
noun
- a strong or fortified place occupied by troops and usually surrounded by walls, ditches, and other defensive works; a fortress; fortification.
- any permanent army post.
- (formerly) a trading post.
- hold the fort,
- to defend one’s position against attack or criticism.
- to maintain the existing state of affairs.
- fortification.
- fortified.
noun
- a fortified enclosure, building, or position able to be defended against an enemy
- hold the fort informal to maintain or guard something temporarily
mid-15c., “fortified place, stronghold,” from Middle French fort, from noun use in Old French of fort (adj.) “strong, fortified” (10c.), from Latin fortis “strong, mighty, firm, steadfast,” from Old Latin forctus, possibly from PIE root *bheregh- “high, elevated,” with derivatives referring to hills and hill-forts (cf. Sanskrit brmhati “strengthens, elevates,” Old High German berg “hill;” see barrow (n.2)).
see hold the fort.