English Reference
Idiom idiom

Fort Knox


A place which is very difficult to get into.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

My brother keeps his room like Fort Knox.

CONTEXTUAL

The company security is like Fort Knox, so you need a special badge to enter the building.

COMPLEX

With its biometric scanners and armed guards, the private research facility was effectively a modern-day Fort Knox, impenetrable to any unauthorized visitor.


Named after Henry Knox, who served as the Continental Army's chief of artillery during the American Revolution and later as the first United States Secretary of War.


Related idioms1entry
  1. 01

    man the fort

    To take care of a place or situation in another's absence.

Last updated August 10, 2026