transitive verb coerced -·erced′, coercing -·erc′·ing

1. to restrain or constrain by force, esp. by legal authority; curb
2. to force or compel, as by threats, to do something
3. to bring about by using force; enforce

Etymology: ME cohercen < OFr cohercier < L coercere, to surround, restrain < co-, together + arcere, to confine: see exercise