fort up
C1 informal inseparable intransitive
In simple words
Lock yourself inside a place and get ready to defend it.
Literal meaning: To turn a location into a fort — set up defensive fortifications.
Meanings
1 C1
idiomatic
informal
To take a defensive position in a building or location and prepare to resist attack.
"The survivors forged up inside the warehouse and waited for help to arrive."
Grammar: inseparable
2 C1
idiomatic
informal
To isolate oneself or a group from the outside world in a defensive or stubborn manner.
"The company forged up and refused to speak to any journalists."
Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes
Primarily American English, with military and frontier connotations. Can be used literally (troops fortifying a position) or figuratively (a company refusing to engage with critics). Relatively uncommon outside American contexts.
Commonly used with
position building compound troops town
Forms
Base
fort up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
forts up
he/she/it
Past simple
forted up
yesterday
Past participle
forted up
have + pp
-ing form
forting up
continuous
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