reinforcere‧in‧force /ˌriːənˈfɔːs $ -ˈfɔːrs/ ●●○ W3 AWL verb [transitive] 
Word Origin Examples
The film reinforces the idea that women should be pretty and dumb.2to make part of a building, structure, piece of clothing etc stronger3to make a group of people, especially an army, stronger by adding people, equipment etc
Word OriginWORD ORIGINreinforce
Verb TableOrigin:
1400-1500 inforce (14-17 centuries), from enforceVERB TABLE
reinforce
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | reinforce |
| he, she, it | reinforces | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | reinforced |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have reinforced |
| he, she, it | has reinforced | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had reinforced |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will reinforce |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have reinforced |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am reinforcing |
| he, she, it | is reinforcing | |
| you, we, they | are reinforcing | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was reinforcing |
| you, we, they | were reinforcing | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been reinforcing |
| he, she, it | has been reinforcing | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been reinforcing |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be reinforcing |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been reinforcing |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Thesaurus- Huge beams have been added at the top of the walls to reinforce the carved medieval roof.
- The dam was reinforced with 20,000 sandbags.
- The sea wall at Southend is being reinforced with tons of cement.
- This reinforces the stereotype that blondes have no brains.
- Devote most of your time to reinforcing good behavior, with smiles, hugs, compliments or special privileges.
- If all goes well, the skills develop interactively as they are supposed to, do complement and reinforce each other.
- In most cases, the school environment tends to reinforce the influence of the home background.
- In the present case Mr. Glick was fully entitled to, and did, point to practical considerations to reinforce his argument.
- It could reinforce prescriptions for an appropriate scientific method.
- Mobile forms of macrophage circulate in the blood, ready to be recruited into inflamed tissue to reinforce the cells already there.
- Overprotective parents may bombard their young children with messages that reinforce their lack of mastery.
- The depictions on paper money and coins reinforce national icons and symbols.
Longman Language Activatorto make something stronger► make something stronger
Collocations to make something physically stronger: · I've put in some extra posts to make the fence stronger.· A final heat treatment makes the glass much stronger and improves its optical qualities.
► strengthen to make something strong, especially by adding something else: · The ship's decks will have to be strengthened to carry the extra weight.· a set of exercises to strengthen the leg muscles· The walls were strengthened with steel rods.
► reinforce to make part of a building or structure stronger: · Huge beams have been added at the top of the walls to reinforce the carved medieval roof.· The sea wall at Southend is being reinforced with tons of cement.
strong thing/material► strong something that is strong cannot be broken or destroyed easily: · The bags are made of strong black plastic· You'll need a strong piece of rope for towing the car.· After full heat treatment, the alloy proved to be five times as strong as the pure aluminium.
► solid a building or piece of furniture that is solid is strong and well made: · The table seemed solid enough, so I climbed up onto it.· rows of solid little houses built of local stoneas solid as a rock (=very solid): · He rapped his knuckles against the body of the sink unit. It was as solid as a rock.
► tough not easily cut or damaged - use this about cloth, leather, plastic etc: · The sailors wore jackets made from tough waterproof cotton.· a pair of tough leather boots· Normal floor paint might not be tough enough for the garage.
► durable substances or products that are durable are strong and will last a long time, even if they are used a lot: · Bronze is harder and more durable than tin.· What you need for Africa is a simple, durable and inexpensive vehicle.· The roofs are constructed from heavy and durable timbers, usually teak or mahogany.
► heavy-duty heavy-duty materials, tools, machines etc are specially made to be stronger than usual, often because they are going to be used a lot or used in difficult conditions: · If you are going to put an electric cable underground, you must use the special heavy-duty type.· The emergency equipment includes food, a first-aid kit, and a heavy-duty flashlight.
► hardwearing a hardwearing cloth or material is strong and will last a long time, even if it is used a lot: · Polyester is not particularly hardwearing but it is cheap.· It's best to lay a good quality, hardwearing carpet.
► reinforced a reinforced material or part has had other materials or parts added to make it stronger: · A reinforced concrete dome, two metres thick, protects the radioactive core of the nuclear reactor.· Like all the clothes in the range it has specially reinforced seams.
► unbreakable something that is unbreakable is difficult or impossible to break because it is made of a very strong substance: · Make sure your patio doors are made of unbreakable glass.· a virtually unbreakable vacuum flask
► indestructible impossible to break, damage or destroy: · Until the accident, the ship was considered indestructible.· There is little point putting an indestructible door in a frame that will rot in 10 years.
WORD SETS► Militaryaction stations, nounaide-de-camp, nounairborne, adjectiveaircraft carrier, nounairlift, nounallied, adjectivearmour, nounarms control, nounarms race, nounarray, verbassault course, nounAWOL, adjectivebalance of power, nounbandmaster, nounbandsman, nounbase, nounbattle, nounbattle, verbbattle cry, nounbattlefield, nounbattlements, nounbeachhead, nounbivouac, nounblackout, nounblast, verbblitz, nounblockade, nounblockade, verbblockhouse, nounbloodshed, nounbody bag, nounbody count, nounbomb, verbbombard, verbbombardment, nounbomb disposal, nounboot camp, nounbowman, nounbreastplate, nounbridgehead, nounbunker, nouncall-up, nouncannonade, nouncapability, nouncaptain, nouncapture, nouncarrier, nouncashier, verbcenotaph, nounchief of staff, nouncitation, nouncivil defence, nounC.O., nouncommand, nouncommand, verbcommandant, nouncommander, nouncommander in chief, nouncommand post, nouncommissariat, nouncommissary, nouncommission, nouncommissioned officer, nounconquer, verbconquest, nounconscientious objector, nounconscript, verbconscript, nounconscription, nounconvoy, verbcookhouse, nounCorp., corporal, nouncorps, nouncounterinsurgency, nouncounterintelligence, nouncountermand, verbcounter-revolution, nouncourt-martial, nouncourt-martial, verbcross, noundawn raid, noundeath camp, noundemilitarize, verbdemobilize, verbdeploy, verbdetonate, verbdisarm, verbdisarmament, noundispatch, noundraft board, noundraft card, noundraft dodger, noundraftee, noundress uniform, noundrum major, noundump, nounechelon, nounencamp, verbenemy, nounengage, verbengagement, nounenlist, verbenlisted, adjectiveexchange, nounex-serviceman, nounex-servicewoman, nounfield, verbfirst lieutenant, nounfirst strike, nounflak jacket, nounflash, nounfort, nounfortress, nounfoxhole, nounFPO, front, noungas mask, noungeneral headquarters, nounGHQ, nounguardhouse, nounheadquarters, nounhigh command, nounHQ, nounincursion, nounindefensible, adjectiveinsignia, nouninstallation, nouninsubordination, nounintelligence, nouninternment, nouninvade, verbinvader, nouninvasion, nounkit bag, nounKP, nounlieutenant, nounline, nounMaj., major, nounmajor general, nounman, nounmarch, verbmarch, nounmarch-past, nounmarshal, nounmassacre, nounmassacre, verbmess, nounmess, verbmilitarism, nounmilitarized, adjectiveMilitary Academy, nounMilitary Cross, nounmilitary service, nounmilitia, nounmilitiaman, nounminuteman, nounmission, nounMP, nounmutineer, nounmutinous, adjectivemutiny, nounnational service, nounNATO, nounNCO, nounno-man's-land, nounnon-aggression, nounnon-aligned, adjectivenon-combatant, nounobjective, nounobservation post, nounoccupation, nounoccupy, verboffence, nounoffensive, adjectiveoffensive, nounofficer, nounoperation, nounorderly, nounoutflank, verboutpost, nounoverthrow, verboverwhelm, verbpact, nounpadre, nounparade, nounparamilitary, adjectiveparapet, nounpartisan, nounpassword, nounpatrol, nounperilous, adjectiveperiscope, nounpillbox, nounpincer movement, nounpost, verbPOW, nounpre-war, adjectiveprisoner, nounprisoner of war, nounPurple Heart, nounpush, nounputsch, nounPX, nounquarter, verbquartermaster, nounquell, verbR & R, nounraid, nounraid, verbrank, nounrebellion, nounrecapture, verbreconnaissance, nounreconnoitre, verbrecruit, verbrecruit, nounreinforce, verbrelieve, verbRemembrance Day, nounrepel, verbrequisition, verbretake, verbretire, verbretreat, verbretreat, nounreview, nounreview, verbribbon, nounsabre-rattling, nounsally, nounsalute, verbsalute, nounsalvo, nounsamurai, nounscorched earth policy, nounscout, nounscout, verbscramble, verbsecond lieutenant, nounsentinel, nounsentry, nounsentry box, nounsergeant, nounsergeant major, nounserviceman, nounservicewoman, nounSgt., shell, verbshelling, nounsiege, nounskirmish, nounstaff officer, nounstaging area, nounstandard-issue, adjectivestar, nounstation, nounstation, verbstrategic, adjectivestrategist, nounstrategy, nounstripe, nounstronghold, nounsuperpower, nounsuppress, verbsurgical strike, nounsurrender, verbsurrender, nountactical, adjectivetarget, nountarget, verbtask force, nountattoo, nountheatre, nountrench warfare, nountripwire, nountruce, nounturret, noununarmed, adjectiveunoccupied, adjectivevalour, nounveteran, nounvolunteer, nounvolunteer, verbwar chest, nounwar crime, nounwar cry, nounwar dance, nounwar effort, nounwarfare, nounwarhorse, nounwarlike, adjectivewarlord, nounwar memorial, nounwarmonger, nounwarrant officer, nounwarring, adjectivewarrior, nounwar-torn, adjectivewar widow, nounwar zone, nounwounded, adjectivezero hour, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES► reinforce a notion
Word family (=make an idea stronger or easier to believe)· The research reinforces the notion that fathers have an important role in their children’s lives.
► reinforce a stereotype (=make a stereotype stronger by showing or describing someone in the usual way)· Charities for older people must be careful not to reinforce harmful stereotypes.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB► mutually· Here, as so often in the New Testament, word and sacrament mutually reinforce one another.· Several unique, yet mutually reinforcing, factors have been at work to stimulate the pace of the process.· On the contrary, they can be mutually reinforcing.· Groups of work-inhibited students may reinforce mutually held beliefs that school is a negative environment.
► only· Contemplating the sweep of the development of some field of science can only reinforce that feeling.· A job program that provides genuinely equal opportunities for ghetto boys and girls will only reinforce the girls' economic edge.· His suggestions can only reinforce the anti-male sexism inherent in some areas of child care work.· If so, the coming mergers will only reinforce an already established trend.
NOUN► attitude· Since women in general have less social prestige than men, this in itself tends to reinforce negative attitudes to the elderly.· Rather, people interpret and retain media information selectively to reinforce their existing attitudes.· A small racist joke or ill considered sentence only serves to reinforce negative attitudes.· Supermarkets themselves say they're catering for increasing customer demand, customers too seem to reinforce that attitude.· To instil or reinforce responsible drinking attitudes and behaviour. 3.· And in using these terms, we reinforce such attitudes and make them seem like something timelessly true about women.· Psychiatrists and other advisers may reinforce this attitude.
► belief· Cultural and family values often reinforce this belief.· Groups of work-inhibited students may reinforce mutually held beliefs that school is a negative environment.· This would reinforce their belief in the need to help the latter group of newspapers rather than simply leaving them to market forces.· Although rebound is a temporary reaction, it tends to reinforce insomniacs' belief that they can not sleep without medication.
► effect· In contrast to the redistributive capital tax considered in Section 8-3, the indirect effects reinforce the transfer.· History, indeed, tends to show that public intervention can have the effect of reinforcing rather than curbing market excesses.· It becomes intentional if the effect is reinforcing.· New values thus have the effect of reinforcing traditional differences.
► idea· Initial disbelief in the disease concept and determination to find or reinforce one's own ideas on the cause of addiction.· The resulting videos seem to reinforce the stereotypic idea that dark-skinned black women are not as attractIve as their lighter sisters.· Answer guide: The intention here is to reinforce the idea that costs of one period may be expenses of another period.
► image· In all likelihood, the racially polarized vote will reinforce Mississippi's negative image far beyond its borders.· True, Newt Gingrich will pay $ 300, 000 to reinforce this image of fund raising run rampant.· Such stories reinforce stock images of a regime that imposes population control by force.
► impression· They have become devalued as people in their own right and everything that happens to them subsequently serves to reinforce this impression.· Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin went on a scheduled vacation, evidently to reinforce the impression of business as usual.· As described in Chapter Five, the manager may use cryptic messages to reinforce this impression.
► message· Likewise, public relations may use advertising to support or spearhead a publicity programme to reinforce messages.· I had been sending my child the wrong message for years and here I was reinforcing that message.· Perhaps I can intrude into my own column again at this point to reinforce the message.· They have come to reinforce the message they left last time.
► notion· We have not included much documentary work as the realism of documentary has often been used ideologically to reinforce notions of naturalness.· How can schools reflect cultural differences without reinforcing the notion that those differences are unchanging and inherent in particular groups.
► point· Here is another problem in constitutional law to reinforce the point.· We have referred to Piaget to make or reinforce a point about teaching.· Mr. Marlow Could my right hon. Friend reinforce the point that he has just made?· With this proviso, the book can be recommended as readable and illustrated with several case-studies to reinforce the authors' points.· I have so advised Mr Simpson but it might be helpful if you could reinforce the point.· You can freeze a frame, rewind, replay and so on to reinforce a point.
► position· In actual fact, what the monarchy does do is to reinforce Britain's position in the world as an outmoded Ruritania.· As late as 1964, Bulkeley, by then an admiral, was reinforcing his position as one of my heroes.· The emperors, too, and their advisers badly needed legal texts to reinforce their position as rulers.· You really need to calm down and take life more stoically to reinforce your position.· This qualification will put us a further jump ahead of competition and will reinforce our position as market leader in quality Hygiene Services.· In some cases Bourdieu speaks of individual strategies intended to reinforce one's own position within the lineage.
► sense· This kind of experience can reinforce our sense of insecurity, as well as making the burden of sadness unbearably heavy.· Living in an area of expensive detached houses can serve to reinforce one's sense of being middle-class.· However, it is a fact that there are stimuli such as food which are reinforcing in this sense.
► view· But it will also be evident that Saussurean linguistics did much more than simply reinforce the Formalists' view of literature.· And the problem is compounded because managers Jan find both the books and the consultants to reinforce their narrow view.· These may either be addictive themselves or may reinforce the view that there is a pill for every ill.· Since then the increase in warning time has merely served to reinforce the view.
VERB► help· Such an analogy helps to reinforce the distinctive orientations of the two modes.· It has helped to reinforce the important contribution the Institute and its members can make in this area.· This helps to reinforce his status within the group.· For the study of social need and welfare policy this is clearly right; yet it unwittingly helps to reinforce the stereotypes.· Are the investments of these agencies helping to challenge or reinforce the historic sectarian divisions within the labour market? 3.· Of course they not only reflect ageism in society but help to reinforce it and make it acceptable.· Again, plenty of praise at this stage will help to reinforce the desired response.
► seem· Both arrived together and seemed to reinforce each other.· The resulting videos seem to reinforce the stereotypic idea that dark-skinned black women are not as attractIve as their lighter sisters.· Supermarkets themselves say they're catering for increasing customer demand, customers too seem to reinforce that attitude.
► serve· As it is no longer in focus the drill serves to reinforce what has already been drilled and ensures automaticity of control.· I think it would only serve to reinforce my fears.· A small racist joke or ill considered sentence only serves to reinforce negative attitudes.· It is there to serve the professionals and reinforce their efforts.· They have become devalued as people in their own right and everything that happens to them subsequently serves to reinforce this impression.· The achievement of a goal will serve to reinforce the behaviour and so establish a causal connection between needs and goals.· Hitherto they had deliberately promoted internally, which served to reinforce the already strong personal loyalty.
► tend· Since women in general have less social prestige than men, this in itself tends to reinforce negative attitudes to the elderly.· In their interplay, the two developments tended to reinforce each other on an international scale.· In any case, in focusing on particular states it tended to reinforce the state-centric view of International Relations.· Although rebound is a temporary reaction, it tends to reinforce insomniacs' belief that they can not sleep without medication.· This dualism tended to reinforce a form of psychophysical parallelism in ethology.· In some ways what the district councils do tends to reinforce the efforts of regional policy.· Current possession of human, physical and financial capital tends to reinforce itself in successive periods, although not completely so.· In most cases, the school environment tends to reinforce the influence of the home background.
► use· Genetics is often used to reinforce existing prejudices.· But by the following morning I could have used a little reinforcing myself.· Colour coding in both these libraries was used to reinforce clearly printed visual signs.· Instead he used the choice to reinforce his hostility to change.· We have not included much documentary work as the realism of documentary has often been used ideologically to reinforce notions of naturalness.· Simple reward charts can be used to reinforce either sitting at the table or finishing a meal for the 3-year-old and older.· But in the end new technology was used to reinforce the old office relationships.· As described in Chapter Five, the manager may use cryptic messages to reinforce this impression.
WORD FAMILYnounreinforcementadjectivereinforcedverbreinforce
1to give support to an opinion, idea, or feeling, and make it stronger: The film reinforces the idea that women should be pretty and dumb.2to make part of a building, structure, piece of clothing etc stronger3to make a group of people, especially an army, stronger by adding people, equipment etc