force

FORCE, n. [L. fortis. All words denoting force, power, strength, are from verbs which express straining, or driving, rushing, and this word has the elements of L. vireo.]

1. Strength; active power; vigor; might; energy that may be exerted; that physical property in a body which may produce action or motion in another body, or may counteract such motion. By the force of the muscles we raise a weight, or resist an assault.

2. Momentum; the quantity of power produced by motion or the action of one body on another; as the force of a cannon ball.

3. That which causes an operation or moral effect; strength; energy; as the force of the mind, will or understanding.

4. Violence; power exerted against will or consent; compulsory power. Let conquerors consider that force alone can keep what force as obtained.

5. Strength; moral power to convince the mind. There is great force in an argument.

6. Virtue; efficacy. No presumption or hypothesis can be of force enough to overthrow constant experience.

7. Validity; power to bind or hold. If the conditions of a covenant are not fulfilled, the contract is of no force. A testament is of force after the testator is dead. Heb. 9:17.

8. Strength or power for war; armament; troops; an army or navy; as a military or naval force: sometimes in the plural; as military forces.

9. Destiny; necessity; compulsion; any extraneous power to which men are subject; as the force of fate or of divine decrees.

10. Internal power; as the force of habit.

11. In law, any unlawful violence to person or property. This is simple, when no other crime attends it, as the entering into another's possession, without committing any other unlawful act. It is compound, when some other violence or unlawful act is committed. The law also implies force, as when a person enters a house or inclosure lawfully, but afterwards does an unlawful act. In this case, the law supposes the first entrance to be for that purpose, and therefore by force.

Physical force, is the force of material bodies.

Moral force, is the power of acting on the reason in judging and determining.

Mechanical force, is the power that belongs to bodies at rest or in motion. The pressure or tension of bodies at rest is called a mechanical force, and so is the power of a body in motion. There is also the force of gravity or attraction, centrifugal and centripetal forces, expansive force, &c.

FORCE, v.t.

1. To compel; to constrain to do or to forbear, by the exertion of a power not resistible. Men are forced to submit to conquerors. Masters force their slaves to labor.

2. To overpower by strength.

I should have forced thee soon with other arms.

3. To impel; to press; to drive; to draw or push by main strength; a sense of very extensive use; as, to force along a wagon or a ship; to force away a man's arms; water forces its way through a narrow channel; a man may be forced out of his possessions.

4. To enforce; to urge; to press.

Forcing my strength, and gathering to the shore.

5. To compel by strength of evidence; as, to force conviction on the mind; to force one to acknowledge the truth of a proposition.

6. To storm; to assault and take by violence; as, to force a town or fort.

7. To ravish; to violate by force, as a female.

8. To overstrain; to distort; as a forced conceit.

9. To cause to produce ripe fruit prematurely, as a tree; or to cause to ripen prematurely, as fruit.

10. To man; to strengthen by soldiers; to garrison. Obs.

To force from, to wrest from; to extort.

To force out, to drive out; to compel to issue out or to leave; also, to extort.

To force wine, is to fine it by a short process, or in a short time.

To force plants, is to urge the growth of plants by artificial heat.

To force meat, is to stuff it.

FORCE, v.i.

1. To lay stress on. Obs.

2. To strive. Obs.

3. To use violence.

force

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