strengthen

English

Etymology

From rare Middle English strengthenen (14th c.), from earlier strengthen (12th c.), where -en is the infinitive ending. Probably the original form was reinterpreted as strength +‎ -en around the time when the infinitive ending was being apocopated in late Middle English.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈstɹɛŋ(k)θən/, /ˈstɹɛnθən/, /ˈʃt͡ʃɹeɪŋ(k)θən/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛŋkθən

Verb

strengthen (third-person singular simple present strengthens, present participle strengthening, simple past and past participle strengthened)

1. (transitive) To make strong or stronger; to add strength to; to increase the strength of; to fortify.

   strengthen a muscle

   strengthen a wall

   strengthen one's willpower

   strengthen one's authority

   • c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, ”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):

     Let noble Warwick, Cobham, and the rest, […]
     With powerful policy strengthen themselves.

   • 1851, anonymous author, Arthur Hamilton, and His Dog‎:

     A little hardship, and a little struggling with the rougher elements of life, will perchance but strengthen and increase his courage, and prepare him for the conflicts and struggles of after years.

2. (transitive) To empower; to give moral strength to; to encourage; to enhearten.
   • 1831, Nat Turner, The Confessions of Nat Turner:

     my father and mother strengthened me in this my first impression, saying in my presence, I was intended for some great purpose

   • 1611, The Holy Bible,  (King James Version), London: Robert Barker, , →OCLC, Deuteronomy iii:28:

     Charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him.

   • 1910, Emerson Hough, chapter I, in The Purchase Price: Or The Cause of Compromise, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:

     "A fine man, that Dunwody, yonder," commented the young captain, as they parted, and as he turned to his prisoner. "We'll see him on in Washington some day. He is strengthening his forces now against Mr. Benton out there. […]."

3. (transitive) To augment; to improve; to intensify.
4. (transitive) To reinforce, to add to, to support (someone or something)

   strengthen an army

5. (transitive) To substantiate; to corroborate (a belief, argument, etc.)

   strengthen the cause

6. (intransitive) To grow strong or stronger.
   • 1914, Elizabeth Robins Pennell, Our Philadelphia:

     my affection seems so superfluous that I often wonder why it should be so strong. But wise or foolish, there it is, strengthening with the years whether I will or no

Synonyms

• (to make strong or stronger): See also Thesaurus:strengthen
• (to augment): See also Thesaurus:augment

Antonyms

• weaken
• atrophy

Derived terms

• strengthener
• strengthening plaster

Translations

References

• “strengthen”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

Middle English

Alternative forms

• strenkþen, strengþen, strengþe, strengþi, strengthe, strenght, strenthe, streynght, streynthyn, streyngthe
• (early) strengðden, strengþin, strencþen

Etymology

From strengthe +‎ -en (infinitival suffix).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈstrɛnkθən/, /ˈstrɛnɡðən/
• (dialectal) IPA^(key): /ˈstrɛnθən/, /ˈstrɛi̯nθən/

Verb

strengthen

1. to strengthen, fortify (increase the strength of)
   • 1395, John Wycliffe, Bible, Job IV:

     Lo! thou hast tauȝt ful many men, and thou hast strengthid hondis maad feynt.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

2. to empower, to augment (increase the potency or severity of)
3. to enhearten, to encourage (increase the morale of)
4. to assist, to support (someone or something)
5. to substantiate; to corroborate (a belief, argument, etc.)
6. to approve or validate (a document).
7. to endeavour; to rouse oneself.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Chaucer to this entry?)

Conjugation

Descendants

• English: strength

References

• “strengthen, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.