English Explanatory Dictionary

force

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Ability to influence; strength or energy of body or mind; active power; vigour; might; capacity of exercising an influence or producing an effect.
  2. A physical quantity that denotes ability to push, pull, twist or accelerate a body and which has a direction and is measured in a unit dimensioned in mass × distance/time² (ML/T²): SI: newton (N); CGS: dyne (dyn).
  3. The generalized abstraction of this concept.
  4. A particular form or type of force.
  5. A metaphysical and ubiquitous power from the fictional Star Wars universe created by George Lucas. See usage note.
  6. An instance of a physical force.
  7. Force understood as something of which there can be an amount.
  8. Anything that is able to make a substantial change in a person or thing.
  9. Something or anything that has the power to produce a physical effect upon something else, such as causing it to move or change shape.
  10. Something that exerts influence.
  11. Something that, over time, influences a system with which it interacts (with a connotation of underlyingness, subtlety, or indirectness).
  12. Power exerted against will or consent; compulsory power; violence; coercion.
verb
  1. To make someone or something do something, often regardless of their will.
  2. To constrain by force; to overcome the limitations or resistance of.
  3. To drive (something) by force, to propel (generally + prepositional phrase or adverb).
  4. To cause to occur (despite inertia, resistance etc.); to produce through force.
  5. To forcibly open (a door, lock etc.).
  6. To violate (a woman); to rape.
  7. To exert oneself, to do one's utmost.
  8. To obtain or win by strength; to take by violence or struggle; specifically, to capture by assault; to storm, as a fortress.
  9. To create an out by touching a base in advance of a runner who has no base to return to while in possession of a ball which has already touched the ground.
  10. To compel (an adversary or partner) to trump a trick by leading a suit that he/she does not hold.
  11. To put in force; to cause to be executed; to make binding; to enforce.
  12. To provide with forces; to reinforce; to strengthen by soldiers; to man; to garrison.
noun
  1. A waterfall or cascade.
verb
  1. To stuff; to lard; to farce.
name
  1. Falls. used in place names.
name
  1. A surname.

Pronunciation

/fɔːs/ fôrs /foɹs/ [fo̞ɹs] /foː(ɾ)s/ /fɒ(ɾ)s/ fōrs /fo(ː)ɹs/ /foəs/ en-us-force.ogg

Word forms

force forces forcing forced no-table-tags glossary forcest forcedst forceth Vorce

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”).

Synonyms

influence factor pressure police force effect thrust abuse defile outrage constuprate defoul dishonour force misuse oppress pollute rape ravage ravish r-word scotch turn out violate viole vitiate grape

Related words

newton pound poundal To control by force dark side of the Force light side of the Force

Derived words

accelerating force Ampère's force law antiforce atomic force microscope atomic force microscopy behavioral force biteforce blue force brakeforce brute-force by force of Casimir force color force colour force come into force coming into force constructive force counterforce cyberforce downforce driving force electromagnetic force electromotive force electrostatic force field of force force diagram force feed forcefeed force-feed force-field force field force in force justified forceless forcely force majeure forcement force multiplier forceness force of habit force of nature force of will forceout force-out force pair forceplate force play force pump force-put force-ripe forceshield force to be reckoned with forcewide forcite four-force general of the air force g force gravitational force ground mobile force in force

Translations

Finnish: voima Finnish: voimakeinot Finnish: pakko Finnish: pakottaminen Finnish: pakkokeinot Finnish: voimat Finnish: joukot Finnish: valta Ancient Greek: βία Hungarian: erőszak Hungarian: kényszer Hungarian: kényszerítés Hungarian: erő Hungarian: erősség Hungarian: osztag Hungarian: sereg Hungarian: különítmény Hungarian: haderő Hungarian: hadsereg Hungarian: csapat Hungarian: egység Irish: fórsa Japanese: 強制 Japanese: 力 Japanese: 勢力 Central Kurdish: زەبر Central Kurdish: ھێز Marathi: जबरदस्ती Marathi: बळ Marathi: प्रबळ गट Old English: nīed Russian: сила Russian: отря́д Sanskrit: रभस् Sanskrit: परस्परक्रिया Slovak: sila Spanish: fuerza Afrikaans: krag Albanian: fuqi Arabic: قُوَّة Armenian: ուժ Armenian: ուժեր Armenian: զինված ուժեր Assamese: বল Azerbaijani: qüvvə Bashkir: көс Bashkir: ҡеүәт Basque: indar Bengali: বল Bhojpuri: जोर Bulgarian: сила Bulgarian: войска Catalan: força Hakka Chinese: 力 Chinese: 力 Corsican: forza Czech: síla Danish: kraft Danish: styrke Danish: magt Dutch: kracht Dutch: macht Dutch: troep Fiji Hindi: taagat French: force French: forces French: pouvoir Friulian: fuarce Galician: forza Georgian: ძალა Georgian: ღონე German: Kraft German: Kräfte Greek: δύναμη Greek: σώμα Gujarati: બળ Hebrew: כוח Hebrew: כח Higaonon: kusug Finnish: pakottaa
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