Part 309

Burke.

For"ti*tude (?), n. [L. fortitudo, fr. fortis strong. See Fort.] 1. Power to resist attack; strength; firmness. [Obs.]

The fortitude of the place is best known to you.

Shak.

2. That strength or firmness of mind which enables a person to encounter danger with coolness and courage, or to bear pain or adversity without murmuring, depression, or despondency; passive courage; resolute endurance; firmness in confronting or bearing up against danger or enduring trouble.

Extolling patience as the truest fortitude.

Milton.

Fortitude is the guard and support of the other virtues.

Locke.

Syn. -- Courage; resolution; resoluteness; endurance; bravery. See Courage, and Heroism.

For`ti*tu"di*nous (?), a. Having fortitude; courageous. [R.] Gibbon.

Fort"let (?), n. A little fort. [R.] Bailey.

Fort"night` (?; in U.S. often ?; 277), n. [Contr. fr. fourteen nights, our ancestors reckoning time by nights and winters; so, also, seven nights, sennight, a week.] The space of fourteen days; two weeks.

Fort"night`ly (?), a. Occurring or appearing once in a fortnight; as, a fortnightly meeting of a club; a fortnightly magazine, or other publication. -- adv. Once in a fortnight; at intervals of a fortnight.

For*tread" (?), v. t. To tread down; to trample upon. [Obs.]

In hell shall they be all fortroden of devils.

Chaucer.

For"tress (?), n.; pl. Fortresses (#). [F. forteresse, OF. forteresce, fortelesce, LL. foralitia, fr. L. fortis strong. See Fort, and cf. Fortalice.] A fortified place; a large and permanent fortification, sometimes including a town; a fort; a castle; a stronghold; a place of defense or security.

Syn. -- Fortress, Fortification, Castle, Citadel. A fortress is constructed for military purposes only, and is permanently garrisoned; a fortification is built to defend harbors, cities, etc.; a castle is a fortress of early times which was ordinarily a palatial dwelling; a citadel is the stronghold of a fortress or city, etc.

For"tress, v. t. To furnish with a fortress or with fortresses; to guard; to fortify. Shak.

For*tu"i*tous (?), a. [L. fortuitus; akin to forte, adv., by chance, prop. abl. of fors, fortis, chance. See Fortune.] 1. Happening by chance; coming or occuring unexpectedly, or without any known cause; chance; as, the fortuitous concourse of atoms.

It was from causes seemingly fortuitous . . . that all the mighty effects of the Reformation flowed.

Robertson.

So as to throw a glancing and fortuitous light upon the whole.

Hazlitt.

2. (LAw) Happening independently of human will or means of foresight; resulting from unavoidable physical causes. Abbott.

Syn. -- Accidental; casual; contingent; incidental. See Accidental.

-- For*tu"i*tous*ly, adv. -- For*tu"i*tous*ness, n.