To strengthen or support (an object or substance), especially with additional material. It can also mean to strengthen an idea, belief, or feeling by providing more evidence or support for it.
Reinforcement, in a behavioral psychology context, is a stimulus or event that increases the likelihood of a specific behavior being repeated.
The act of reinforcing can be both physical, as in reinforcing a structure with steel, and abstract, as in reinforcing a student's confidence with praise.
It implies a pre-existing foundation that needs bolstering or an existing pathway of thought that requires solidification.
BRACE
BEEFUP REWARD
SHOREUP SUPPORT
BUTTRESS
REENFORCE
STRENGTHEN