re·in·force [ r in fáwrss ](past and past participlere·in·forced, present participlere·in·forc·ing, 3rd person present singularre·in·forc·es) or re·en·force [ r in fáwrss ](past and past participlere·en·forced, present participlere·en·forc·ing, 3rd person present singularre·en·forc·es)
transitive verb
Definition:
1. strengthen something: to make something stronger by providing additional external support or internal stiffening for it
2. give something support: to give additional strength, force, or conviction to something such as an idea, opinion, or feeling, e.g. by providing further evidence to support it
3. strengthen military force: to make a military force stronger by providing it with more troops or weapons
4. psychology influence behavior by reward or punishment: to reward an action or type of behavior to increase the probability that it will be repeated or punish an action in order to discourage it
[15th century. Formed from enforce, probably on the model of Italian rinforzare]
