force

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   Physical power or strength used on something.

   She pushed the heavy door open with all her force.

2. 2
   verb

   To make someone do something they do not want to do.

   They forced him to sign the agreement.

3. 3
   noun

   A strong influence or effect.

   Social media is a powerful force in modern politics.

4. 4
   noun

   A group organized for military or police action.

   The country sent a force of soldiers to the border.

5. 5
   noun

   In physics, an influence that changes the motion of an object.

   Force equals mass times acceleration.

Common collocations

• use force Verb + noun
• physical force Adjective + noun
• apply force Verb + noun
• brute force Adjective + noun
• sheer force Adjective + noun
• exert force Verb + noun
• force a laugh Verb + noun

From Middle English force, forz, fors, from Old Norse fors (“waterfall”), from Proto-Germanic *fursaz (“waterfall”). Cognate with Icelandic foss (“waterfall”), Norwegian foss (“waterfall”), Swedish fors (“waterfall”). Doublet of foss.

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