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.
Fortress
(For"tress), v. t. To furnish with a fortress or with fortresses; to guard; to fortify. Shak.
Fortuitous
(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.
Fortuity
(For*tu"i*ty) n. [Cf. F. fortuité.] Accident; chance; casualty. D. Forbes
Fortunate
(For"tu*nate) a. [L. fortunatus, p. p. of fortunare to make fortunate or prosperous, fr. fortuna.
See Fortune, n.]
1. Coming by good luck or favorable chance; bringing some good thing not foreseen as certain; presaging
happiness; auspicious; as, a fortunate event; a fortunate concurrence of circumstances; a fortunate investment.
2. 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.
Syn. — Auspicious; lucky; prosperous; successful; favored; happy. — Fortunate, Successful, Prosperous.
A man is fortunate, when he is favored of fortune, and has unusual blessings fall to his lot; successful
when he gains what he aims at; prosperous when he succeeds in those things which men commonly
desire. One may be fortunate, in some cases, where he is not successful; he may be successful, but,
if he has been mistaken in the value of what he has aimed at, he may for that reason fail to be prosperous.
Fortunately
(For"tu*nate*ly), adv. In a fortunate manner; luckily; successfully; happily.
Fortunateness
(For"tu*nate*ness), n. The condition or quality of being fortunate; good luck; success; happiness.
Fortune
(For"tune) n. [F. fortune, L. fortuna; akin to fors, fortis, chance, prob. fr. ferre to bear, bring.
See Bear to support, and cf. Fortuitous.]
1. The arrival of something in a sudden or unexpected manner; chance; accident; luck; hap; also, the personified
or deified power regarded as determining human success, apportioning happiness and unhappiness,
and distributing arbitrarily or fortuitously the lots of life.
'T is more by fortune, lady, than by merit.
Shak.
O Fortune, Fortune, all men call thee fickle.
Shak.
