forcing

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

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

transitive verb forced, forcing

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

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