force
UK /fɔːs/ · US /foɹs/ noun, verb, proper noun
Forms forces forcing forced forcest forcedst forceth Vorce
- noun Ability to influence; strength or energy of body or mind; active power; vigour; might; capacity of exercising an influence or producing an effect. “the force of an appeal, an argument, or a contract”
- noun (uncountable) The generalized abstraction of this concept. “Torque is the rotational version of force.”
- noun (countable) A particular form or type of force. “Most physicists deem there to be four fundamental forces: the weak force, the strong force, gravitation, and the electromagnetic force.”
- noun (humorous or science fiction, with the, often capitalized) A metaphysical and ubiquitous power from the fictional Star Wars universe created by George Lucas. See usage note.
- noun (countable) An instance of a physical force. “Two forces acting upon the same point on an object will cancel out only if they have equal magnitude and opposite directions.”
- noun (mass noun, possibly proscribed) Force understood as something of which there can be an amount. “Heavier objects are those that are subject to more gravitational force.”
- noun (countable) Anything that is able to make a substantial change in a person or thing.
- noun Something or anything that has the power to produce a physical effect upon something else, such as causing it to move or change shape.
- verb (transitive) To make someone or something do something, often regardless of their will.
- verb (transitive) To constrain by force; to overcome the limitations or resistance of.
- verb (transitive) To drive (something) by force, to propel (generally + prepositional phrase or adverb).
- verb (transitive) To cause to occur (despite inertia, resistance etc.); to produce through force. “The comedian's jokes weren't funny, but I forced a laugh now and then.”
- verb (transitive) To forcibly open (a door, lock etc.). “I forgot my keys in and so we had to force (open) the door.”
- verb (transitive) To violate (a woman); to rape.
- verb (obsolete, reflexive, intransitive) To exert oneself, to do one's utmost.
- verb To obtain or win by strength; to take by violence or struggle; specifically, to capture by assault; to storm, as a fortress.
- noun (countable, Northern England) A waterfall or cascade.
- verb To stuff; to lard; to farce.
- proper noun (Northern England) Falls. used in place names.
- proper noun A surname.
Synonyms
influence factor pressure police force effect thrust abuse defile outrage constuprate defoul dishonour misuse oppress pollute rape ravage ravish r-word scotch forcefulness strength personnel military unit military force military group violence power force out force-out
Etymology
From Middle English force, fors, forse, from Old French force, from Late Latin fortia, a noun derived from the neuter plural of Latin fortis (“strong”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerǵʰ- (“to rise, high, hill”).
From Middle English forcen, from Old French forcier, from Late Latin *fortiāre, from Latin fortia.
From Middle English force, forz, fors, from Old Norse fors (“waterfall”), from Proto-Germanic *fursaz (“waterfall”). Cognate with Icelandic foss (“waterfall”), Norwegian foss (“waterfall”), Swedish fors (“waterfall”). Doublet of foss.
From Middle English forcen, forsen, a use of force, with confusion of farce (“to stuff”).
Webster’s 1913
- verb To stuff; to lard; to farce. [R.]
- noun A waterfall; a cascade. [Prov. Eng.]
- noun Strength or energy of body or mind; active power; vigor; might; often, an unusual degree of strength or energy; capacity of exercising an influence or producing an effect; especially, power to persuade, or convince, or impose obligation; pertinency; validity; special signification; as, the force of an appeal, an argument, a contract, or a term.
- noun Power exerted against will or consent; compulsory power; violence; coercion.
Etymology [See Farce to stuff.]
Etymology [Of Scand. origin; cf. Icel. fors, foss, Dan. fos.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “force”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details