stronghold
part of speech
noun (a stronghold, strongholds)
meaning for a pupil
1) A stronghold is a strong, well-defended place such as a castle or fort that is hard to attack. tree →
2) A stronghold is also a place where a group, idea, animal or plant is still strong and common: "The Highlands are a stronghold of the red squirrel." tree →
3) In politics, a stronghold is an area where most people support one party. tree →
sense in the lessons
In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: A fortified town or walled place, in contrast to open camps. In the Psalms God is Himself called a stronghold, and David hid in the strongholds of En-gedi while Saul hunted him. Interpretation: The spies Moses sent were told to find out whether the Canaanites lived in open camps or in fortified cities, which showed how strong they were. Tradition reads the psalm's picture of God as a stronghold as meaning He guards Jerusalem and those who trust Him. The prophets also use the word for cities like Tyre that fell. In the primary lessons: In history lessons castles, hill forts and mountain hideouts are strongholds. In science and conservation, a stronghold is where a rare species survives in good numbers. In news, "a party's stronghold". In stories it is where the hero or villain hides. Phrases: "last stronghold", "rebel stronghold", "stronghold of".
examples
- and what the land is that they dwell in, whether it is good or bad; and what cities they are that they dwell in, whether in camps, or in strongholds; (Torah NUM.13.19, JPS 1917) tree →
- God in her palaces hath made Himself known for a stronghold. (Writings PSA.48.4, JPS 1917) tree →
- Howl, ye ships of Tarshish, for your stronghold is laid waste. (Prophets ISA.23.14, JPS 1917) tree →
- And David went up from thence, and dwelt in the strongholds of En-gedi. (Prophets 1SA.24.1, JPS 1917) tree →
- The knights retreated to their stronghold on the hill. tree →
- The castle was a stronghold that no army could take. tree →
- Scotland is a stronghold for red squirrels. tree →
- The rebels held a stronghold in the mountains. tree →
- This town is a stronghold of the Labour Party. tree →
- The villain's stronghold was hidden under the sea. tree →
- The island is the last stronghold of the rare bird. tree →
- She travelled in the direction of Iollan’s stronghold. tree →
note
Countable: a stronghold, strongholds. Compound of strong + hold. Close words: fortress, castle, fort, bastion.
In the corpora
- And he brought them before the king of Moab; and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the stronghold.
- And David abode in the wilderness in the strongholds, and remained in the hill-country in the wilderness of Ziph.
- And David went up from thence, and dwelt in the strongholds of En-gedi.
- And Saul went home; but David and his men got them up unto the stronghold.
- Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion; the same is the city of David.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «stronghold» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.