force (fôrs)n.1. The capacity to do work or cause physical change; energy, strength, or active power: the force of an explosion.2. a. Power made operative against resistance; exertion: use force in driving a nail.b. The use of physical power or violence to compel or restrain: a confession obtained by force.3. a. Intellectual power or vigor, especially as conveyed in writing or speech.b. Moral strength.c. A capacity for affecting the mind or behavior; efficacy: the force of logical argumentation.d. One that possesses such capacity: the forces of evil.4. a. A body of persons or other resources organized or available for a certain purpose: a large labor force.b. A person or group capable of influential action: a retired senator who is still a force in national politics.5. a. Military strength.b. A unit of a nation’s military personnel, especially one deployed into combat: Our armed forces have at last engaged the enemy.6. Physics a. A vector quantity that tends to produce an acceleration of a body in the direction of its application. Newton’s second law of motion states that a free body accelerates in the direction of the applied force and that its acceleration is directly proportional to the force and inversely proportional to its mass.b. See fundamental force.7. Baseball A force play.tr.v. 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. a. To gain by the use of force or coercion: force a confession.b. To move or effect against resistance or inertia: forced my foot into the shoe.c. To inflict or impose relentlessly: He forced his ideas upon the group.3. a. To put undue strain on: She forced her voice despite being hoarse.b. To increase or accelerate (a pace, for example) to the maximum.c. To produce with effort and against one’s will: force a laugh in spite of pain.d. To use (language) with obvious lack of ease and naturalness.4. a. To move, open, or clear by force: forced our way through the crowd.b. To break down or open by force: force a lock.5. To rape.6. To induce change in (a complex system) by changing one of its parameters: greenhouse gases that force the earth’s climate.7. Botany To cause to grow or mature by artificially accelerating normal processes.8. Baseball a. To put (a runner) out on a force play.b. To allow (a run) to be scored by walking a batter when the bases are loaded.9. Games To cause an opponent to play (a particular card).Idioms: force (oneself) on/upon To rape. force (someone’s) hand To force to act or speak prematurely or unwillingly. in force1. In full strength; in large numbers: Demonstrators were out in force.2. In effect; operative: a rule that is no longer in force.[Middle English, from Old French, from Medieval Latin fortia, from neuter pl. of Latin fortis, strong; see bhergh- in Indo-European roots.]force?a·ble adj.forc?er n.Synonyms: force, compel, coerce, oblige, obligate These verbs mean to cause one to follow a prescribed or dictated course against one’s will. Force, the most general, usually implies the exertion of physical power or the operation of circumstances that permit no options: The driver was forced from his car at gunpoint. A downturn in the market forced us to sell. Compel has a similar range but applies especially to the exertion of legal or moral authority: The official was compelled to testify under the committee’s subpoena power. I felt compelled by my conscience to return the money. Coerce implies the application of pressure or threats in securing compliance: “The technology exists to reduce or eliminate these emissions, but industry will not apply it unless coerced” (Andrew Weil). Oblige implies the operation of authority, necessity, or moral or ethical considerations: “Work consists of whatever a body is obliged to 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 Synonyms at strength.American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.force (f??s) n1. strength or energy; might; power: the force of the blow; a gale of great force. 2. exertion or the use of exertion against a person or thing that resists; coercion3. (General Physics) physics a. a dynamic influence that changes a body from a state of rest to one of motion or changes its rate of motion. The magnitude of the force is equal to the product of the mass of the body and its accelerationb. a static influence that produces an elastic strain in a body or system or bears weight. Symbol: F 4. (General Physics) physics any operating influence that produces or tends to produce a change in a physical quantity: electromotive force; coercive force. 5. a. intellectual, social, political, or moral influence or strength: the force of his argument; the forces of evil. b. a person or thing with such influence: he was a force in the land. 6. vehemence or intensity: he spoke with great force. 7. (Military) a group of persons organized for military or police functions: armed forces. 8. the force (sometimes capital) informal the police force9. a group of persons organized for particular duties or tasks: a workforce. 10. (Law) criminal law violence unlawfully committed or threatened11. (Philosophy) philosophy logic that which an expression is normally used to achieve. See speech act, illocution, perlocution12. (Law) (of a law) having legal validity or binding effect13. in great strength or numbers14. join forces to combine strengths, efforts, etcvb (tr) 15. to compel or cause (a person, group, etc) to do something through effort, superior strength, etc; coerce16. to acquire, secure, or produce through effort, superior strength, etc: to force a confession. 17. to propel or drive despite resistance: to force a nail into wood. 18. to break down or open (a lock, safe, door, etc)19. to impose or inflict: he forced his views on them. 20. (Agriculture) to cause (plants or farm animals) to grow or fatten artificially at an increased rate21. to strain or exert to the utmost: to force the voice. 22. to rape; ravish23. (Card Games) cards a. to compel (a player) to trump in order to take a trickb. to compel a player by the lead of a particular suit to play (a certain card)c. (in bridge) to induce (a bid) from one’s partner by bidding in a certain way24. force a smile to make oneself smile25. force down to compel an aircraft to land26. force the pace to adopt a high speed or rate of procedure[C13: from Old French, from Vulgar Latin fortia (unattested), from Latin fortis strong] ?forceable adj ?forceless adj ?forcer n ?forcingly advforce (f??s) n(in northern England) a waterfall[C17: from Old Norse fors]Collins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014force (f?rs, fo?rs) n., v. forced, forc?ing. n. 1. physical power or strength: to pull with all one’s force. 2. strength exerted upon an object; physical coercion; violence: to use force to open a door. 3. strength; energy; power: the force of the waves; a personality of great force. 4. power to influence, affect, or control; efficacious power: the force of circumstances. 5. Law. unlawful violence threatened or committed against persons or property. 6. persuasive power; power to convince: the force of an argument. 7. mental or moral strength: force of character. 8. might, as of a ruler or realm; strength for war. 9. Often, forces. the military or fighting strength, esp. of a nation. 10. any body of persons combined for joint action: a sales force. 11. intensity or strength of effect: the force of her acting. 12. Physics. a. an influence on a body or system, producing or tending to produce a change in movement or shape or other effects. b. the intensity of such an influence. Symbol: F, f 13. any influence or agency analogous to physical force: social forces. 14. binding power, as of a contract. 15. force play. 16. value; significance; meaning. v.t. 17. to compel, constrain, or oblige (oneself or someone) to do something: to force a suspect to confess. 18. to drive or propel against resistance. 19. to bring about or effect by force. 20. to bring about of necessity or as a necessary result: to force a smile. 21. to put or impose (something or someone) forcibly on or upon a person: to force one’s opinions on others. 22. to obtain or draw forth by or as if by force; extort: to force a confession. 23. to enter or take by force; overpower: They forced the town after a long siege. 24. to break open (a door, lock, etc.). 25. to cause (plants, fruits, etc.) to grow or mature at an increased rate by artificial means. 26. to press or urge (an animal, person, etc.) to violent effort or to the utmost. 27. to use force upon. 28. to rape. 29. Baseball. a. to cause (a base runner) to be put out in a force play. b. to cause (a base runner or run) to score, as by walking a batter with the bases full (often fol. by in). 30. (in cards) a. to compel (a player) to trump by leading a suit of which the player has no cards. b. to compel a player to play (a particular card). c. to compel (a player) to play so as to make known the strength of the hand. v.i. 31. to make one’s way by force. Idioms: in force, a. in operation; effective: a rule no longer in force. b. in large numbers; at full strength: to attack in force. [1250?1300; Middle English