Basic Details
Word: Garrison
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: A group of soldiers living in a town or fort to defend it; also the place where they are based. As a verb, to garrison a place is to put soldiers there.
Synonyms: troops, fort, post
How to Spell Garrison
Syllables: gar - ri - son
Tricky part: The r is doubled but the s is not. The ending is son, not sen or san.
Watch out for: garison, garrisson, garrisan
Memory tip: Two r's for the two rows of soldiers at the gate, then son: gar-ri-son.
Usage Examples
Example 1: The British kept a garrison at Fort William in Calcutta.
Example 2: The garrison held the hill fort for three months without help.
Example 3: A small garrison guards the island's lighthouse.
Fun Fact
Many Indian cities still have a cantonment, an area first set aside for a British army garrison. Pune, Secunderabad and Meerut are well-known examples.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is spelt correctly. Choose its meaning:
1. ammunision 2. garrison 3. sergent 4. lieutenent
a) a soldier of middle rank
b) bullets and shells fired from weapons
c) soldiers based in a town or fort to defend it
d) a junior officer in the army
Show answer
c) soldiers based in a town or fort to defend it. Ammunition ends in tion, sergeant has an a after the e and lieutenant ends in ant, so garrison is the correct one.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word garrison as used in the sentence:
The tiny garrison at the mountain pass waited weeks for food and fresh supplies.
a) troops
b) pilgrims
c) farmers
d) traders
Show answer
a) troops. A garrison is made up of soldiers, so troops is the matching word.
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
garrisson
a) r
b) i
c) s
d) n
Show answer
c) s. Garrison doubles the r, never the s.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A garrison town is one where ____.
a) trains are repaired
b) tea is grown
c) ships are built
d) soldiers are stationed
Show answer
d) soldiers are stationed
2. To garrison a fort means to ____.
a) paint its walls and gates
b) sell it to a buyer
c) knock it down completely
d) put soldiers in it to defend it
Show answer
d) put soldiers in it to defend it
