force

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 thing [to use force in opening a door]

b) the use of physical power to overcome or restrain a person; physical coercion; violence [to resort to force in dispersing a mob]

4. the power of a person to act effectively and vigorously; moral or intellectual strength [force of character]

5.

a) the power to control, persuade, influence, etc.; effectiveness [the force of circumstances, an argument lacking force]

b) a person, thing, or group having a certain influence, power, etc. [a force for good]

6. the real or precise meaning; basic point [to miss the force of something said]

7.

a) military, naval, or air power

b) the collective armed strength, as of a nation

c) any organized group of soldiers, sailors, etc.

8. any group of people organized for some activity [a sales force, a police force]

9. Law binding power; validity

10. Physics the cause, or agent, that puts an object at rest into motion or alters the motion of a moving object: abbrev. F

vt.

forced, forcing [ME forcen < OFr forcer < VL * fortiare < * fortia, * forcia: see the n.]

1. to cause to do something by or as if by force; compel

2. to rape (a woman)

3.

a) to break open, into, or through by force [to force a lock]

b) to make (a way, etc.) by force

c) to overpower or capture by breaking into, through, etc. [to force the enemy's stronghold]

4. to get or take by force; wrest; extort [forcing the gun from his hand]

5. to drive by or as by force; cause to move against resistance; impel [to force an article into a filled box]

6. to impose by or as by force: with on or upon [to force one's attentions on another]

7. to effect or produce by or as by force; produce by unusual or unnatural effort [to force a smile]

8. to exert beyond the natural limits or capacity; strain [to force one's voice]

9. to cause (plants, fruit, etc.) to develop or grow faster by artificial means

10. Obs.

a) to give or add force to

b) to put in force

☆ 11. Baseball

a) to cause (a base runner) to be put out by a force-out: said of a batter

b) to cause (a runner) to score or (a run) to be scored by walking the batter with the bases full: often with in

12.

a) Card Games to cause (an opponent) to play (a particular card)

b) Bridge to make a bid that requires (one's partner) to bid in response

SYN.- STRENGTH

——————

in force

1. in full strength; in full number

2. in effect; operative; valid

forceable

adj.

forceless

adj.

forcer

n.

SYN.- FORCE implies the exertion of power in causing a person or thing to act, move, or comply against his or its resistance and may refer to physical strength or to any impelling motive [circumstances forced him to lie ]; COMPEL implies a driving irresistibly to some action, condition, etc.; to COERCE is to compel submission or obedience by the use of superior power, intimidation, threats, etc.; CONSTRAIN implies the operation of a restricting force and therefore suggests a strained, repressed, or unnatural quality in that which results [a constrained laugh ]