n. 1 power, might, energy, strength, potency, vigour, intensity, violence, impact; dynamism, pressure The force of the blow knocked me down 2 coercion, pressure, constraint, duress, compulsion, arm-twisting When persuasion failed, the guards resorted to force 3 troops, soldiers, army NATO forces are on manoeuvres 4 weight, persuasiveness, persistence, cogency, effectiveness, efficacy, strength, validity, significance, value The force of his argument was sufficient to convince us 5 meaning, import, significance Are they able to cope with the full force of the word 'God'? 6 in force in effect, effective, in operation, operative, valid, binding, current The ancient customs still remain in force The law came into force at midnight.
v. 7 make, oblige, require, compel, coerce, exact, constrain, enforce, impel, intimidate, pressure or Brit also pressurize, press, dragoon, twist (someone's) arm, Colloq bulldoze, put the squeeze on (someone) Each of us was forced to dig his own grave 8 push, drive, thrust, propel; prise or prize, break, wrench, crack, jemmy, US pry The tornado forced the chair through the wall He forced open the safe and took the money. 9 exact, extort, extract, wrest, wring, drag The CIA tried to force a confession from her