Force

Force
Force Force, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Forced}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Forcing}.] [OF. forcier, F. forcer, fr. LL. forciare, fortiare. See {Force}, n.] 1. To constrain to do or to forbear, by the exertion of a power not resistible; to compel by physical, moral, or intellectual means; to coerce; as, masters force slaves to labor. [1913 Webster]

2. To compel, as by strength of evidence; as, to force conviction on the mind. [1913 Webster]

3. To do violence to; to overpower, or to compel by violence to one's will; especially, to ravish; to violate; to commit rape upon. [1913 Webster]

To force their monarch and insult the court. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

I should have forced thee soon wish other arms. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

To force a spotless virgin's chastity. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

4. To obtain, overcome, or win by strength; to take by violence or struggle; specifically, to capture by assault; to storm, as a fortress; as, to force the castle; to force a lock. [1913 Webster]

5. To impel, drive, wrest, extort, get, etc., by main strength or violence; -- with a following adverb, as along, away, from, into, through, out, etc. [1913 Webster]

It stuck so fast, so deeply buried lay That scarce the victor forced the steel away. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

To force the tyrant from his seat by war. --Sahk. [1913 Webster]

Ethelbert ordered that none should be forced into religion. --Fuller. [1913 Webster]

6. To put in force; to cause to be executed; to make binding; to enforce. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

What can the church force more? --J. Webster. [1913 Webster]

7. To exert to the utmost; to urge; hence, to strain; to urge to excessive, unnatural, or untimely action; to produce by unnatural effort; as, to force a conceit or metaphor; to force a laugh; to force fruits. [1913 Webster]

High on a mounting wave my head I bore, Forcing my strength, and gathering to the shore. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

8. (Whist) To compel (an adversary or partner) to trump a trick by leading a suit of which he has none. [1913 Webster]

9. To provide with forces; to re["e]nforce; to strengthen by soldiers; to man; to garrison. [Obs.] --Shak. [1913 Webster]

10. To allow the force of; to value; to care for. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

For me, I force not argument a straw. --Shak.

Syn: To compel; constrain; oblige; necessitate; coerce; drive; press; impel. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • force — [ fɔrs ] n. f. • 1080; bas lat. fortia, plur. neutre substantivé de fortis → 1. fort; forcer I ♦ La force de qqn. 1 ♦ Puissance d action physique (d un être, d un organe). Force physique; force musculaire. ⇒ résistance, robustesse, vigueur. Force …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • forcé — force [ fɔrs ] n. f. • 1080; bas lat. fortia, plur. neutre substantivé de fortis → 1. fort; forcer I ♦ La force de qqn. 1 ♦ Puissance d action physique (d un être, d un organe). Force physique; force musculaire. ⇒ résistance, robustesse, vigueur …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • force — Force, Vis, Neruositas, Fortitudo, Virtus. Il se prend quelquesfois pour le dessus d une entreprinse ou affaire, comme, Il combatit si vaillamment que la force fut sienne, c est à dire, que le dessus du combat et la victoire fut à luy. Item,… …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

  • force — 1 n 1: a cause of motion, activity, or change intervening force: a force that acts after another s negligent act or omission has occurred and that causes injury to another: intervening cause at cause irresistible force: an unforeseeable event esp …   Law dictionary

  • force — Force. subst. fem. Vigueur, faculté naturelle d agir vigoureusement. Il se dit proprement du corps. Force naturelle. grande force. force extraordinaire. force de corps. force de bras, la force consiste dans les nerfs. frapper de toute sa force, y …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Force — Force, n. [F. force, LL. forcia, fortia, fr. L. fortis strong. See {Fort}, n.] 1. Capacity of exercising an influence or producing an effect; strength or energy of body or mind; active power; vigor; might; often, an unusual degree of strength or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • forcé — forcé, ée (for sé, sée) part. passé de forcer. 1°   À quoi on a fait violence, qu on a tordu, brisé avec violence. Un coffre forcé. Une serrure forcée. •   Ils [les Juifs] répandirent dans le monde que le sépulcre [de Jésus] avait été forcé ;… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • force — n 1 *power, energy, strength, might, puissance Analogous words: *stress, strain, pressure, tension: *speed, velocity, momentum, impetus, headway 2 Force, violence, compulsion, coercion, duress, constraint, restraint denote the exercise or the… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • force — [fôrs, fōrs] n. [ME < OFr < VL * fortia, * forcia < L fortis, strong: see FORT1] 1. strength; energy; vigor; power 2. the intensity of power; impetus [the force of a blow] 3. a) physical power or strength exerted against a person or… …   English World dictionary

  • force — ► NOUN 1) physical strength or energy as an attribute of action or movement. 2) Physics an influence tending to change the motion of a body or produce motion or stress in a stationary body. 3) coercion backed by the use or threat of violence. 4)… …   English terms dictionary

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