force English · revision 3553

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1300|origins=la fortis}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /fɔːs/, US /fɔːrs/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|force]] (also [[m|enm|fors]]), [[bor|fro|force|t=force, strength; courage; violence, compulsion]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) from [[la-lat|fortia]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000) the neuter plural of [[la|fortis|t=strong, mighty; brave]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) which Klein notes was mistaken for a feminine singular noun.^(Klein 1966) The verb is [[inh|enm|forcen]], from Old French [[m|fro|forcier|t=to conquer by violence]], from [[la-vul|*fortiāre]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) The AHD traces Latin ''fortis'' to [[ine-pro|*bhergh-|t=high]].^(AHD 2000) It is related to [[fort]], [[fortitude]], [[effort]] and [[comfort]].^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Physical strength, might: probably before 1300, in ''Arthour and Merlin'',^(Barnhart 1988) or about 1300.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The power or might of a ruler or realm, especially military strength, is recorded from 1303.^(HTOED) The power to convince the mind and power used against someone's will are from the mid-14th century.^(Etymonline) A body of armed men is from the late 14th century,^(Etymonline) or 1487 in the Historical Thesaurus,^(HTOED) and Hoad dates it to the 14th century.^(Hoad 1986) The physics sense, an influence that changes a body's motion, came later.^(Etymonline)^(AHD) The verb meant “to exert force upon an adversary” about 1300, and by the early 14th century also “to rape”.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) “To compel, constrain” is from about 1400,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and “to bring about by unusual effort” from the 1550s.^(Etymonline) In card games, “to make a player play a certain card” is from 1746, in whist.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) ''Forcible'' is from about 1422,^(Barnhart 1988) and ''forceful'' from 1571.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1300 – physical strength.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1300 – verb, to exert force upon.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1303 – military power.^(HTOED)

+ * mid-14th century – power against one's will.^(Etymonline)

+ * late 14th century – a body of armed men.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1400 – verb, to compel.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1422 – ''forcible''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1571 – ''forceful''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1746 – verb, in card games.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Strength, energy or active power.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Power used against resistance; physical power used to compel or restrain; [[violence]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # Intellectual or moral power, as in speech or writing.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A body of armed men or of people organized for a purpose: ''the police force''.^(AHD)^(HTOED)

+ # ''(physics)'' A [[vector]] quantity that changes the motion of a body.^(AHD)

+ # Legal validity: ''in force''.^(AHD)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To compel by pressure or necessity.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # To get or move something by force; to break open.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # To produce with effort: ''a forced smile''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # To make plants grow faster by artificial means.^(AHD)

+ # ''(archaic)'' To [[rape]].^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[forceable]]

+ * [[forcer]]

+ * [[forceless]]

+ * [[forcingly]]

+ * [[unforceable]]

+ * [[enforce]]

+ * [[forceful]]

+ * [[forcible]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fort]]

+ * [[fortitude]]

+ * [[fortify]]

+ * [[effort]]

+ * [[comfort]]

+ * [[reinforce]]

+ * [[forcemeat]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The American Heritage Dictionary compares ''force'' with ''compel'', ''coerce'', ''constrain'' and ''oblige'': ''force'', the most general, usually implies the exertion of strength.^(AHD) In the north of England a ''force'' is a waterfall, from Old Norse ''fors'', recorded from 1600;^(OED 1989)^(SOED 2002)^(Wright 1898) and ''force'', “to stuff”, survives in ''forcemeat'', an alteration of ''farce''.^(SOED 2002)^(Klein 1966)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}