force (fôrs, fōrs)

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[Middle English, from Old French, from Medieval Latin fortia, from neuter pl. of Latin fortis, strong.]

noun 

1. The capacity to do work or cause physical change; energy, strength, or active power: the force of an explosion.
2. 1. Power made operative against resistance; exertion: use force in driving a nail.
   2. The use of physical power or violence to compel or restrain: a confession obtained by force.
3. 1. Intellectual power or vigor, especially as conveyed in writing or speech.
   2. Moral strength.
   3. A capacity for affecting the mind or behavior; efficacy: the force of logical argumentation.
   4. One that possesses such capacity: the forces of evil.
4. 1. A body of persons or other resources organized or available for a certain purpose: a large labor force.
   2. A person or group capable of influential action: a retired senator who is still a force in national politics.
5. 1. Military strength.
   2. The entire military strength, as of a nation. Often used in the plural.
   3. A unit of a nation's military personnel, especially one deployed into combat: Our forces have at last engaged the enemy.
6. Law Legal validity.
7. Physics A vector quantity that tends to produce an acceleration of a body in the direction of its application.
8. Baseball A force play.

transitive verb: forced, forc·ing, forc·es. 

1. To compel through pressure or necessity: I forced myself to practice daily. He was forced to take a second job.
2. 1. To gain by the use of force or coercion: force a confession.
   2. To move or effect against resistance or inertia: forced my foot into the shoe.
   3. To inflict or impose relentlessly: He forced his ideas upon the group.
3. 1. To put undue strain on: She forced her voice despite being hoarse.
   2. To increase or accelerate (a pace, for example) to the maximum.
   3. To produce with effort and against one's will: force a laugh in spite of pain.
   4. To use (language) with obvious lack of ease and naturalness.
4. 1. To move, open, or clear by force: forced our way through the crowd.
   2. To break down or open by force: force a lock.
5. To rape.
6. Botany To cause to grow or mature by artificially accelerating normal processes.
7. Baseball
   1. To put (a runner) out on a force play.
   2. To allow (a run) to be scored by walking a batter when the bases are loaded.
8. Games To cause an opponent to play (a particular card).

idioms

force (someone's) hand

To force to act or speak prematurely or unwillingly.

in force

In full strength; in large numbers: Demonstrators were out in force. In effect; operative: a rule that is no longer in force.

derivatives

forcéa·ble

adjective

forćer

noun

synonyms:

force, compel, coerce, constrain, oblige, obligate These verbs mean to cause a person or thing to follow a prescribed or dictated course. Force, the most general, usually implies the exertion of physical power or the operation of circumstances that permit no options: Tear gas forced the fugitives out of their hiding place. Compel applies especially to an act dictated by one in authority: Say nothing unless you're compelled to. Coerce invariably implies the use of strength or harsh measures in securing compliance: “The man of genius rules . . . by persuading an efficient minority to coerce an indifferent and self-indulgent majority” (James Fitzjames Stephen) Constrain suggests that one is bound to a course of action by physical or moral means or by the operation of compelling circumstances: “I will never be by violence constrained to do anything” (Elizabeth I) Oblige implies the operation of authority, necessity, or moral or ethical considerations: “Work consists of whatever a body isto do” (Mark Twain) Obligate applies when compliance is enforced by a legal contract or by the dictates of one's conscience or sense of propriety: I am obligated to repay the loan.

See also: strength