Etymologically
Log in

forcer

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 18 October 2026 at 14:02. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /fɔʁ.se/[1]

Forms

forcer[1] Old French forcier (11th century); forcer from the 13th century.[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Old French forcier, inherited from Vulgar Latin *fortiō, from Late Latin fortia (“strength”), the source of force, from Latin fortis (“strong”).[3][4][5][6][1] The TLFi calls the Vulgar Latin verb probable.[3]

Cognate with Italian forzare, Occitan forsar, Catalan forçar, Spanish forzar and Portuguese forçar.[7][8]

Earliest recorded meaning

According to the FEW it is used in the 11th century for violating a woman; the general sense “to compel by force” is in the Chanson d'Antioche (about 1200).[3][5]

Semantic evolution

In about 1230 it means to take a military position by storm (Montaigne: Alexandre forçant la ville de Gaza), in Charles d'Orléans (mid-15th century) to put moral pressure on someone, and in Marguerite de Navarre to master one's own feelings (forcer sa complexion).[3][8] Forcer la porte and forcer un animal “to run down game” are recorded in 1573.[3]

The idea of pushing beyond the normal gave plantes forcées “forced plants” (1605, Olivier de Serres), forcer son talent (1668, La Fontaine), forcer son style (1690) and the absolute use “to strain, make a great effort” (1859, of the wind).[3] Corneille has forcer à (1636) and Racine être forcé de (1669); forcer la main à quelqu'un dates from the late 17th century (Saint-Simon).[2]

Timeline

  • 11th century – “To violate (a woman)”, according to the FEW.[3]
  • c. 1200 – “To compel by force”.[3]
  • c. 1230 – To take a position by storm.[3]
  • 1573 – Forcer la porte, forcer un animal.[3]
  • 1636 – Forcer à, Corneille.[2]
  • 1668 – Forcer son talent, La Fontaine.[3]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To force open, break: forcer une porte, une serrure; to force one's way through: forcer un barrage.[9][1]
  2. To compel: forcer quelqu'un à partir, être forcé de, to be obliged to, forcer la main à quelqu'un.[9][2]
  3. To push beyond the normal: forcer l'allure, forcer la dose, (horticulture) to force (plants).[9][3]
  4. (hunting) To run down (game).[3][9]
  5. To win by effort: forcer l'admiration, le respect.[9]
  6. (intransitive) To strain, make a great effort: ne pas forcer.[3][9]
  7. Se forcer: to force oneself.[9]

Word family

  • forcé
  • forcément
  • forçage
  • forcerie
  • efforcer

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  4. ^ Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  5. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 3, 729a
  7. ^ Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm (1935), Romanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., Heidelberg: Winter
  8. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert