Force - Definition

n 1: a powerful effect or influence; "the force of his eloquence
easily persuaded them"
2: (physics) the influence that produces a change in a physical
quantity; "force equals mass times acceleration"
3: physical energy or intensity; "he hit with all the force he
could muster"; "it was destroyed by the strength of the
gale"; "a government has not the vitality and forcefulness of
a living man" [syn: force, forcefulness, strength]
4: group of people willing to obey orders; "a public force is
necessary to give security to the rights of citizens" [syn:
force, personnel]
5: a unit that is part of some military service; "he sent Caesar
a force of six thousand men" [syn: military unit, military
force, military group, force]
6: an act of aggression (as one against a person who resists);
"he may accomplish by craft in the long run what he cannot do
by force and violence in the short one" [syn: violence,
force]
7: one possessing or exercising power or influence or authority;
"the mysterious presence of an evil power"; "may the force be
with you"; "the forces of evil" [syn: power, force]
8: a group of people having the power of effective action; "he
joined forces with a band of adventurers"
9: (of a law) having legal validity; "the law is still in
effect" [syn: effect, force]
10: a putout of a base runner who is required to run; the putout
is accomplished by holding the ball while touching the base
to which the runner must advance before the runner reaches
that base; "the shortstop got the runner at second on a
force" [syn: force out, force-out, force play,
force]
v 1: to cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical,
moral or intellectual means :"She forced him to take a job
in the city"; "He squeezed her for information" [syn:
coerce, hale, squeeze, pressure, force]
2: urge or force (a person) to an action; constrain or motivate
[syn: impel, force]
3: move with force, "He pushed the table into a corner" [syn:
push, force] [ant: draw, force, pull]
4: impose urgently, importunately, or inexorably; "She forced
her diet fads on him" [syn: force, thrust]
5: squeeze like a wedge into a tight space; "I squeezed myself
into the corner" [syn: wedge, squeeze, force]
6: force into or from an action or state, either physically or
metaphorically; "She rammed her mind into focus"; "He drives
me mad" [syn: force, drive, ram]
7: cause to move by pulling; "draw a wagon"; "pull a sled" [syn:
pull, draw, force] [ant: force, push]
8: do forcibly; exert force; "Don't force it!"
9: take by force; "Storm the fort" [syn: storm, force]