Part 4529

<i>Bailey.</i>

<h1>Fortnight</h1> <Xpage=588>

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

<h1>Fortnightly</h1> <Xpage=588>

<hw>Fort"night`ly</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Occurring or appearing once in a fortnight; <as>as, a <ex>fortnightly</ex> meeting of a club; a <ex>fortnightly</ex> magazine, or other publication.</as></def> -- <def2><tt>adv.</tt> <def>Once in a fortnight; at intervals of a fortnight.</def></def2>

<h1>Fortread</h1> <Xpage=588>

<hw>For*tread"</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <def>To tread down; to trample upon.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<blockquote>In hell shall they be all <b>fortroden</b> of devils. <i>Chaucer.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Fortress</h1> <Xpage=588>

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

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

<h1>Fortress</h1> <Xpage=588>

<hw>For"tress</hw>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <def>To furnish with a fortress or with fortresses; to guard; to fortify.</def>

<i>Shak.</i>

<h1>Fortuitous</h1> <Xpage=588>

<hw>For*tu"i*tous</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>fortuitus</ets>; akin to <ets>forte</ets>, adv., by chance, prop. abl. of <ets>fors</ets>, <ets>fortis</ets>, chance. See <er>Fortune</er>.]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>Happening by chance; coming or occuring unexpectedly, or without any known cause; chance; <as>as, the <ex>fortuitous</ex> concourse of atoms</as>.</def>

<blockquote>It was from causes seemingly <b>fortuitous</b> . . . that all the mighty effects of the Reformation flowed. <i>Robertson.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>So as to throw a glancing and <b>fortuitous</b> light upon the whole. <i>Hazlitt.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(LAw)</fld> <def>Happening independently of human will or means of foresight; resulting from unavoidable physical causes.</def>

<i>Abbott.</i>

<syn>Syn. -- Accidental; casual; contingent; incidental. See <er>Accidental</er>.</syn>

-- <wordforms><wf>For*tu"i*tous*ly</wf>, <tt>adv.</tt> -- <wf>For*tu"i*tous*ness</wf>, <tt>n.</tt></wordforms>

<h1>Fortuity</h1> <Xpage=588>

<hw>For*tu"i*ty</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Cf. F. <ets>fortuit\'82</ets>.]</ety> <def>Accident; chance; casualty.</def>

<i>D. Forbes (1750).</i>

<h1>Fortunate</h1> <Xpage=588>

<hw>For"tu*nate</hw> <tt>(?; 135)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>fortunatus</ets>, p.p. of <ets>fortunare</ets> to make fortunate or prosperous, fr. <ets>fortuna</ets>. See <er>Fortune</er>, <tt>n.</tt>]</ety> <p><b>1.</b> <def>Coming by good luck or favorable chance; bringing some good thing not foreseen as certain; presaging happiness; auspicious; <as>as, a <ex>fortunate</ex> event; a <ex>fortunate</ex> concurrence of circumstances; a <ex>fortunate</ex> investment.</as></def>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Receiving same unforeseen or unexpected good, or some good which was not dependent on one's own skill or efforts; favored with good forune; lucky.</def>