vbl. sb. [f. prec. + -ING1.] The action of the vb. FORTIFY. Also gerundially with omission of in.
1580. Hollyband, Treas. Fr. Tong, Fortifiement, a fortifying.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, I. iv. I laid aside all my works, my building, and fortifying, and applied myself to make bags and boxes to separate the powder.
1774. S. Cooper, in Franklin’s Wks. (1887), V. 364. The entrance into this town is now fortifying by the soldiery.
1820. Scoresby, Acc. Arctic Reg., II. 191. Fortifying, is the operation of strengthening a ship’s stem and bows, by the application of timber and iron plates to the exterior, and a vast number of timbers and stanchions to the interior.
1832. J. H. Newman, Lett. (1891), I. 287. Lying down is an instant specific for it [sea-sickness], and eating a certain alleviation and fortifying against it.
1866. Geo. Eliot, F. Holt (1868), 40. Long before that time, indeed, there had been a Sir Maximus Debarry who had been at the fortifying of the old castle, which now stood in ruins in the midst of the green pastures.
† b. concr. A fortification, defence. Obs.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. cclxxxiii. 422. The fote men myght well enter at their ease, and so they dyde, and ranne to the gate, and beate downe the fortifyeng and barryers.
1553. Brende, Q. Curtius, VII. 138 b. The king of Scythia whose Empire was then beyond the ryuer of Tanais, iudging yt the fortifieng vpon the ryuers side shuld be as a yoke to his neck.
1573. Baret, Alv., F 950. A proppe, a fortifying … fulcimentum.
