What is a fort? As a rule, this word is associated with military fortification. However, not everyone distinguishes it from the fortress, nevertheless, such a difference exists, since, in fact, the fort is part of the defensive structures that are part of the fortress or are separated from it by a certain distance. More information that this is a fort will be described in the article.
Dictionary Interpretation
First, let's see what is said about the term that interests us in the explanatory dictionary. And also give examples of its use.
Before the "fort" in the dictionary is marked "military term." It means either a small fortress or a fortification, which is part of the system of fortifications and is a long-term type.
Example 1: “In the letters of the historian S. D. Sheremetev to the legal scholar K.P. Pobedonostsev written in 1877, there are lines that in one of the battles with the Turks four forts were taken at once, but they so desperately resisted that one redoubt was won back, and the main fortifications were held in their hands. ”
Example 2: “In the book of Vaclav Michalsky,“ Temple of Concord ”, published in 2008, the Tunisian rectangular fort Jebel Kebir is carved in the rocks and has features such as impregnable casemates with small windows and molded bars, a deep moat, walls, lined with wild stone, a huge courtyard. "
To better understand that this is a fort, consider the synonyms and origin of the word under study.
Synonyms
Among them are such as:
- construction;
- strengthening;
- fortress;
- ravelin;
- redoubt;
- bastion;
- trench;
- citadel;
- serfman;
- Fortecia
- fortification;
- rest;
- escarpment;
- counterscarp.
Etymology
According to etymologists, the word “fort” is rooted in Latin. There is the adjective fortis, meaning "strong, solid, strong." From him in such European languages as German, English and French, the noun fort was formed, meaning a fortress, a stronghold. Some researchers believe that it came from Russian into German, while others believe that there was a borrowing from French.
General concept
In the 17-18 centuries, forts were originally called separate fortifications, consisting only of a military garrison and protecting individual objects, for example, bridges, roads.
Later they began to be erected in the form of separate fortifications in front of the fortress fence. And then in the 19th and early 20th centuries they became an integral part of a fortress or a field fortified position.
There were forts of both open and closed type. The first were of various configurations and an area of about five hectares. They adapted to all-round defense. An earthen rampart was erected around the perimeter, covered with ditches or other obstacles. About 20-50 artillery pieces were located behind the shaft.
The second was built of stone, concrete or armored structures, as well as other materials. At the beginning of the 18th century they were multi-tiered stone towers equipped with many guns.
Fort Defense
This is the name of one of the popular computer games, which, like many others, is based on battles. This is a flash game, the essence of which is as follows. The player acts as a soldier who defends his fort.
The enemy is constantly attacking him, which must be met in a dignified manner. There is a special weapon for this. For each of the days of protecting a personal fort, money is accrued for which you can buy new weapons, which are more powerful. To win the game, you must hold the fort for 19 days.
Fort knox
This is one of the US military bases (Fort Knox in English), located in the eponymous military town in Kentucky. It covers an area of 440 square meters. km Fort Knox is famous for having a storehouse of gold reserves. It is one of the most protected in the world. Its granite walls are covered with a layer of concrete, and the front door weighs 22 tons.