noun

1. strength; energy; vigor; power
2. the intensity of power; impetus the force of a blow
3. 1. physical power or strength exerted against a person or thing to use force in opening a door
   2. the use of physical power to overcome or restrain a person; physical coercion; violence to resort to force in dispersing a mob
4. the power of a person to act effectively and vigorously; moral or intellectual strength force of character
5. 1. the power to control, persuade, influence, etc.; effectiveness the force of circumstances, an argument lacking force
   2. a person, thing, or group having a certain influence, power, etc. a force for good
6. the real or precise meaning; basic point to miss the force of something said
7. 1. military, naval, or air power
   2. the collective armed strength, as of a nation
   3. any organized group of soldiers, sailors, etc.
8. any group of people organized for some activity a sales force, a police force
9. Law binding power; validity
10. Physics the cause, or agent, that puts an object at rest into motion or alters the motion of a moving object: abbrev. F

Etymology: ME < OFr < VL *fortia, *forcia < L fortis, strong: see fort

transitive verb forced, forcing forc′·ing

1. to cause to do something by or as if by force; compel
2. to rape (a woman)
3. 1. to break open, into, or through by force to force a lock
   2. to make (a way, etc.) by force
   3. to overpower or capture by breaking into, through, etc. to force the enemy's stronghold
4. to get or take by force; wrest; extort forcing the gun from his hand
5. to drive by or as by force; cause to move against resistance; impel to force an article into a filled box
6. to impose by or as by force: with on or upon to force one's attentions on another
7. to effect or produce by or as by force; produce by unusual or unnatural effort to force a smile
8. to exert beyond the natural limits or capacity; strain to force one's voice
9. to cause (plants, fruit, etc.) to develop or grow faster by artificial means
10. Obsolete
    1. to give or add force to
    2. to put in force
11. ☆ Baseball
    1. to cause (a base runner) to be put out by a force-out: said of a batter
    2. to cause (a runner) to score or (a run) to be scored by walking the batter with the bases full: often with in
12. 1. Card Games to cause (an opponent) to play (a particular card)
    2. Bridge to make a bid that requires (one's partner) to bid in response

Etymology: ME forcen < OFr forcer < VL *fortiare < *fortia, *forcia: see the n.