FORCE


Meaning of FORCE in English

/ fɔːs; NAmE fɔːrs/ noun , verb

■ noun

VIOLENT ACTION

1.

[ U ] violent physical action used to obtain or achieve sth :

The release of the hostages could not be achieved without the use of force.

The rioters were taken away by force .

The ultimatum contained the threat of military force.

We will achieve much more by persuasion than by brute force .

PHYSICAL STRENGTH

2.

[ U ] the physical strength of sth that is shown as it hits sth else :

the force of the blow / explosion / collision

The shopping centre took the full force of the blast.

STRONG EFFECT

3.

[ U ] the strong effect or influence of sth :

They realized the force of her argument.

He controlled himself by sheer force of will .

She spoke with force and deliberation.

SB / STH WITH POWER

4.

[ C ] a person or thing that has a lot of power or influence :

economic / market forces

the forces of good / evil

Ron is the driving force (= the person who has the most influence) behind the project.

She's a force to be reckoned with (= a person who has a lot of power and influence and should therefore be treated seriously) .

The expansion of higher education should be a powerful force for change .

AUTHORITY

5.

[ U ] the authority of sth :

These guidelines do not have the force of law .

The court ruled that these standards have force in British law.

GROUP OF PEOPLE

6.

[ C +sing./pl. v . ] a group of people who have been organized for a particular purpose :

a member of the sales force

A large proportion of the labour force (= all the people who work in a particular company, area, etc.) is unskilled.

—see also workforce

MILITARY

7.

[ C +sing./pl. v . ] a group of people who have been trained to protect other people, usually by using weapons :

a member of the security forces

rebel / government forces

a peace-keeping force

—see also air force , police force , task force

8.

the forces [ pl. ] ( BrE ) the army, navy and air force :

allied forces

—see also the armed forces

9.

forces [ pl. ] the weapons and soldiers that an army, etc. has, considered as things that may be used :

strategic nuclear forces.

POLICE

10.

the force [ sing. ] ( BrE ) the police force :

He joined the force twenty years ago.

PHYSICS

11.

[ C , U ] an effect that causes things to move in a particular way :

The moon exerts a force on the earth.

the force of gravity

magnetic / centrifugal force

OF WIND

12.

[ C , usually sing. ] a unit for measuring the strength of the wind :

a force 9 gale

a gale force wind

—see also tour de force

IDIOMS

- bring sth into force

- come / enter into force

- force of habit

- the forces of nature

- in force

- join / combine forces (with sb)

—more at spent

■ verb

MAKE SB DO STH

1.

[ often passive ] force sb (into sth / into doing sth) to make sb do sth that they do not want to do

SYN compel :

[ vn , vn to inf ]

The President was forced into resigning.

The President was forced to resign.

[ vn to inf ]

I was forced to take a taxi because the last bus had left.

She forced herself to be polite to them.

[ vn ]

He didn't force me—I wanted to go.

Ill health forced him into early retirement.

( informal , humorous )

'I shouldn't really have any more.' 'Go on— force yourself !'

USE PHYSICAL STRENGTH

2.

to use physical strength to move sb/sth into a particular position :

[ vn ]

to force a lock / window / door (= to break it open using force)

He tried to force a copy of his book into my hand.

to force an entry (= to enter a building using force)

She forced her way through the crowd of reporters.

[ vn - adj ]

The door had been forced open .

MAKE STH HAPPEN

3.

[ vn ] to make sth happen, especially before other people are ready :

He was in a position where he had to force a decision.

Building a new road here will force house prices down.

A SMILE / LAUGH

4.

[ vn ] to make yourself smile, laugh, etc. rather than doing it naturally :

She managed to force a smile.

FRUIT / PLANTS

5.

[ vn ] to make fruit, plants, etc. grow or develop faster than normal by keeping them in special conditions :

forced rhubarb

( figurative )

It is unwise to force a child's talent.

IDIOMS

- force sb's hand

- force the issue

- force the pace

—more at throat

PHRASAL VERBS

- force sth back

- force sth down

- force sb/sth on / upon sb

- force sth out of sb

••

WORD FAMILY

force noun verb

forceful adjective

forced adjective (≠ unforced )

forcible adjective

enforce verb

••

WORD ORIGIN

Middle English : from Old French force (noun), forcer (verb), based on Latin fortis strong.

Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне.