fortify
v.to make something stronger or more secure. You use this when you add extra protection to a building or when you strengthen your body with food.
v.to strengthen or reinforce a structure, position, or person. Often used in military contexts to describe the addition of defensive works or in a figurative sense to describe the strengthening of the body or mind.
“The soldiers fortify the walls with sandbags.”
“The company decided to fortify its defenses against cyber attacks by hiring more security experts.”
“By fortifying the perimeter with trenches and heavy artillery, the general hoped to deter the enemy from attempting a direct assault during the winter months.”
“But Christian Rood of LeydenJar says companies like his can fortify Europe's position in what has become a global contest.”
From Late Middle English fortifien, fortfien (“to strengthen (a castle, etc.) from attack; to strengthen (an army, etc.); to strengthen (a person), aid, support; to reinforce, support; to improve; to increase the efficacy of”), from Old French fortifier (modern French fortifier), from Late Latin fortificāre (“to strengthen, fortify”), from Latin fortis (“powerful, strong”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰerǵʰ- (“to ascend, rise up; to be elevated or up high”) or dʰerǵʰ- (“to be firm; robust, strong”)) + -ficō (suffix forming causative or factitive, or other verbs).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.