strengthen
part of speech
verb (strengthen, strengthens, strengthened, strengthening)
meaning for a pupil
1) To strengthen something is to make it stronger. tree →
2) To strengthen is to become stronger. tree →
3) To strengthen a feeling, idea or friendship is to make it firmer or more certain. tree →
sense in the lessons
In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: To strengthen is to make strong, whether a body, a hand, a king's rule or a person's spirit. The prophets use "weak hands" and "tottering knees" as a picture of people who are tired or afraid. Interpretation: God told Moses to strengthen Joshua, who would lead the people into the land after him. Tradition sees this as a handing on of leadership from one generation to the next. Isaiah's words are read as a call to comfort and encourage the discouraged, which the rabbis count as an act of kindness. In the primary lessons: In PE and health it means building muscles: «exercises that strengthen your legs». In design and technology a bridge or a frame is strengthened with extra supports, like triangles. In everyday life friendships and teams are strengthened. In stories wind or storms «strengthen». In money talk a currency strengthens when it becomes worth more.
examples
- And one told Jacob, and said: 'Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee.' And Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed. (Torah GEN.48.2, JPS 1917) tree →
- But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see.' (Torah DEU.3.28, JPS 1917) tree →
- Strengthen ye the weak hands, and make firm the tottering knees. (Prophets ISA.35.3, JPS 1917) tree →
- Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. (Writings JOB.4.3, JPS 1917) tree →
- And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel. (Writings 2CH.17.1, JPS 1917) tree →
- Swimming strengthens your arms and legs. tree →
- We strengthened the paper bridge with triangles. tree →
- The wind strengthened during the night. tree →
- Working together strengthened our friendship. tree →
- Milk helps to strengthen bones and teeth. tree →
- The builders strengthened the old wall with steel bars. tree →
- Her kind words strengthened my courage. tree →
- The new evidence strengthened the detective's idea. tree →
- You must be needing something to strengthen you after that turn.’ tree →
note
Spelling: strength + en (the «g» and «th» both stay). Opposite: «weaken». «Strengthen» can take an object («strengthen the wall») or not («the wind strengthened»). Noun: strength.
In the corpora
- And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God.
- Strengthen ye the weak hands, and make firm the tottering knees.
- Though I have trained and strengthened their arms, yet do they devise evil against Me.
- And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up and down in His name, saith the LORD.
- With whom My hand shall be established; Mine arm also shall strengthen him.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «strengthen» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.