Force v.¹

Forms: see the sb. [a. Fr. forcer, f. force FORCE sb.]

  I.  To apply force.

  1.  trans. To use violence to; to violate, ravish (a woman).

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 1577 (Cott.).

a. 1400[?].  Morte Arth., 978. He has forsede hir and fylede.

1483.  Caxton, G. de la Tour, lviii. E vij b. She saide to her lord that he wolde haue haue forced her.

1530.  Palsgr., 349. The abbesse sawe that for her beaute she shulde be forced.

c. 1620.  Z. Boyd, Zion’s Flowers (1855), 143.

1701.  Swift, Cont. Nobles & Com., Wks. 1755, II. I. 10. One of them proceeding so far as to endeavour to force a Lady of great Virtue.

1871.  H. King, Ovid’s Met., IV. 289.

  † 2.  To press hard upon (in battle). Obs.

c. 1330.  Arth. & Merl., 8951.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 7671.

  3.  To constrain by force (whether physical or moral); to compel; to overcome the resistance of. To force (one’s) hand: to compel one to act prematurely or to adopt a policy he dislikes. Cf. Fr. forcer la main à quelqu’un.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 1924. His fader vs forset with his fowle wille.

1551.  T. Wilson, Logike (1580), 16. Neither can any Lawe bee able, violently to force the inwarde thought of man.

1574.  Hellowes, Gueuara’s Fam. Ep., 64. To kill thy brother, to demaund more tribute, to force thy people, to forget me thy friende, and to take Photion as an enimie, be workes of a tyrant.

1593.  Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., I. i. 230. Art thou King, and wilt be forc’t?

1602.  Marston, Antonio’s Rev., IV. v. Wks. 1856, I. 129.

1697.  Dryden, Æneid, VII. 807.

1764.  Goldsm., The Traveller, 168.

1827.  Wordsw., Persecut. Scot. Covenanters.

1860.  Motley, Netherl. (1868), I. viii. 524. Sir Francis … occasionally forced his adversaries’ hands.

  b.  To put a strained sense upon (words). Also, to force (words) into a sense.

1662.  Stillingfl., Orig. Sacr., III. ii. § 2. Without forcing the words of Moses into such a sense, which the plainness and perspicuity of the writings of Moses argue them not capable to admit of.

1701.  Swift, Cont. Nobles & Com., Wks. 1755 II. I. 43. I am not conscious that I have forced one Example, or put it into any other Light than it appeared to me, long before I had Thoughts of producing it.

1875.  E. White, Life in Christ, IV. xxiv. (1878), 381. This is manifestly to force the Scripture.

  c.  Card-playing, esp. in Whist. (a) To compel (a player) to trump a trick, by leading a card of a suit of which he has none; (b) To make (a player) play so as to show the strength of his hand; (c) To cause a player to play (a certain card) by leading one which must have the effect of drawing it out.

1746.  Hoyle, Whist (ed. 6), 25. Your strong Suit forces their best Trumps, and you have a Probability of making the odd Trick in your own Hand only. Ibid., 68. Forcing, Means the obliging your Partner or your Adversary to trump a suit of which he has none.

1862.  Cavendish, Whist (1870), 28. To force or to give a force is to lead a forcing card. Ibid. (1879), 111. If, then, a good partner refrains from forcing you, you may be sure he is weak.

1878.  H. H. Gibbs, Ombre (2 ed.), 16. Manille when led will necessarily force Basto if the latter be the other player’s only Trump, but will not force Spadille in like case.

  4.  To compel, constrain, or oblige (a person, oneself, etc.) to do a thing († sometimes with to omitted); to bring (things), to drive (a person, etc.) to or into (a course of action, a condition).

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 6822.

c. 1425.  Wyntoun, Cron., VIII. xxxvii. 164. Fortown forsyd hyr to be Fa.

1530.  Palsgr., 555/1. I force, I constrayne one to do a thyng.

c. 1592.  Marlowe, Jew of Malta, III. i.

1592.  Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 61.

1652–62.  Heylin, Cosmogr., III. (1668), 82/1. As others say, from the Idumæi, a people of Arabia; who in a mutiny being forced for to forsake their Country, came and settled here.

1673.  R. Haddock, Jrnl., in Camden Misc. (1881), VIII. 25. All this day the wind hath blowne very hard at S.W. and W.S.W.; forct us strick our yard, and some ships both topmast and yard.

1770.  Junius Lett., xli. 218. Your fears have interposed at last, and forced you to resign.

1803.  Med. Jrnl., X. 510. Solid or fluid substances exciting vomiting, when taken during the operations of opium, act as powerful stimuli on the disordered state of the stomach, and force it to preternatural contraction.

1845.  M. Pattison, Ess. (1889), I. 4. When men are forced into daily and hourly action in matters where they cannot be indifferent spectators.

1867.  Smiles, Huguenots Eng., vii. (1880), 121. Many of the fugitives, before they succeeded in making their escape, appear to have been forced to attend Mass; and their first care on landing seems to have been, to seek out the nearest pastor, confess their sin, and take the sacrament according to the rights of their Church.

1874.  Green, Short Hist., ii. § 8. Every knight was forced to arm himself with coat of mail, and shield and lance; every freeholder with lance and hauberk; every burgess and poorer freeman with lance and iron helmet.

  b.  pass. (of a thing) To be forced to be, etc.: to be of necessity. Now colloq. or vulgar.

1691.  T. H[ale], Acc. New Invent., 47. The Rudder-Irons being eaten by the Rust, were forced to be shifted. Ibid., 49. The Lead was forced to be cut away in many places, for the seams being crackt, she is now in want of another sett of Rudder-Irons.

  † c.  ellipt. (= force to believe) To convince. Obs.

1581.  Sidney Astr. & Stella, viii.

  5.  To urge, compel to violent effort; † to exert (one’s strength) to the utmost.

  To force the pace or the running (in a race): to adopt, and thus force one’s competitors to adopt, a rate of speed likely to harass them and improve one’s own chance of winning. To force the bidding: at a sale by auction, to run the price up rapidly. To force one’s voice: to attempt notes beyond the natural compass. To force the game in Cricket: Of a batsman: To run some risks in order to increase the rate of scoring, and so give one’s side a better chance of winning a game.

1697.  Dryden, Æneid, VI. 487.

1825.  Danneley, Encycl. Mus., s.v. Force.… When … the instrument or voice is forced, sound becomes noise…. To Force the voice, is to exceed its diapason and natural strength.

  † b.  refl. and intr. To do one’s utmost endeavor, strive. Obs.

a. 1300.  Cursor M., 18089 (Cott.).

c. 1340.  Hampole, Prose Tr., 6. Sothely fra þat tym furthe I forced me for to luf Jhesu.

1382.  Wyclif, Ecclus. xxix. 19. He that forseth manye thingus to do, shall fallen in to dom.

a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 2659.

1579.  Spenser, Sheph. Cal., April, 21.

  6.  To overpower by force. a. To make a forcible entry into; to take by force, to storm (a stronghold); to board (a ship). Also, To effect a passage through (mountains, a river, an enemy’s lines) by force.

1581.  Savile, Tacitus’ Hist., II. ix. (1591), 58. By whose perswasion his shippe was forced and taken, and he, whatsoeuer he were, slaine.

1608.  Golding, Epit. Frossard, I. 10. Besides other, at length the Citie of Nants (the principall in those partes) was forced by assault.

1695.  Blackmore, Prince Arthur, IV. 517.

1810.  Wellington, in Gurw., Desp., VII. 56. I have no doubt that the enemy is not, and does not consider himself, able to force the position of the allies in this country.

1825.  T. Jefferson, Autobiog., Wks. 1859, I. 98. The people, now openly joined by the French guards, forced the prison of Saint Lazare, released all the prisoners, and took a great store of corn, which they carried to the corn-market.

1839.  Keightley, Hist. Eng., II. 43. The rebels once more prepared to force the ford, and again the rains swelled the stream.

1854.  J. S. C. Abbott, Napoleon (1855), I. iv. 86. ‘Hannibal,’ he exclaimed, ‘forced the Alps: but we have turned them.’

  transf.  1627.  May, Lucan, II. 462.

1821.  Clare, The Village Minstrel, and Other Poems, I. 136.

  b.  To break open (a gale, etc.); to break (a lock); † to pierce (armor). Also to force open.

1623.  Bingham, Xenophon, Lipsius’ Compar., 4. The Parthian Arrows forced all kinde of Armor.

a. 1639.  Spottiswood, Hist. Ch. Scot., IV. (1655), 188. The Citizens being informed that many of their people were gone thither, one day went down, and being denied entry, forced the gates.

1781.  Gibbon, Decl. & F., III. 236. While the Barbarians roamed through the city in quest of prey, the humble dwelling of an aged virgin, who had devoted her life to the service of the altar, was forced open by one of the powerful Goths.

1834.  Medwin, Angler in Wales, II. 55. Having no means of forcing the gate, were exposed defencelessly to the arrows, slings, and matchlocks directed against them through the loop-holes of the skreen.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., III. 302. No blacksmith could be found in the whole city who would force the lock of the president’s lodgings.

1887.  Times, 31 Aug., 13/4. A window had been forced as well as a desk.

  † c.  To compel to give way or yield; to overpower (troops, a guard). Obs.

a. 1641.  Bp. Mountagu, Acts & Mon., iv. § 20 (1642), 246. Against them he undertook in person, disbanded, dislodged, forced, apprehended many of them.

1718.  Col. Rec. Pennsylv., III. 51. They met with a small Sloop from Maryland, bound to Bermuda & Barbados, took some Tobacco & hoggs from her, & fforced two of their men.

1781.  Gibbon, Decl. & F., II. 120. The emperor soon removed the only obstacle that could embarrass his motions, by forcing a body of troops which had taken post in an amphitheatre.

  7.  To drive by force, propel against resistance, impel. Chiefly const. with prep., or with advbs.

1582.  N. Lichefield, trans. Castanheda’s Conq. E. Ind., iii. 8 b. Their skinnes be so hard that no speare can pearce the same, albeit it be forced vpon it with great strength and valure.

1634.  Bate, Myst. Nat. & Art., I. 17. Another manner of forcing water, whereby the water of any spring may be forced unto the top of a hill.

a. 1691.  Boyle, Hist. Air (1692), 138. That the Air may circulate the better, they set up some Turfs on the Lee side of the Hole, to catch, and so force down the fresh Air.

1700.  S. L., trans. C. Fryke’s Voy. E. Ind., 298. Those that delight in Hunting, may find great quantities of Beasts forced up into the Mountains at that time.

1704.  Addison, Italy, 4. We were forced, by contrary Winds, into St. Remo, a very pretty Town in the Genoese Dominions.

a. 1732.  T. Boston, Crook in Lot (1805), 115. Much more when ye work against him to force up your condition, which we may see God means to hold down.

1818.  M. G. Lewis, Jrnl. W. Ind. (1834), 299. Poor Edward falling against it, at least three inches of the blade were forced into his right side.

1849.  G. P. R. James, The Woodman, i. A low, chalky bank, through which the stream seemed to have forced itself.

1878.  Browning, La Saisiaz, 433.

  absol.  1588.  Greene, Pandosto (1607), A iv b. Where fancy forced friendship was of no force.

  8.  intr. To make one’s way by force. Also with in, out, up. Now rare.

1653.  Holcroft, Procopius, II. 46. Only where the Stream with an eddy went side-long, their sails had no wind for them, and the Marriners rowed, and with much toyle forced up.

1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 426.

1707.  Lond. Gaz., No. 4380/3. The Firebrand … drove off, and forc’d in under a Fore-Course for the Light of St. Agnes.

1713.  Warder, True Amazons (ed. 2), 150. When you feel them very vigorous, and ready to force out of your Hand, whether you will or no, then open your Hand, and they will all fly every one to his respective Home.

1791.  Mrs. Inchbald, Simp. Story, III. xii. 178. You have dared to visit her—to force into her presence and shock her with your offers of services which she scorns; and with your compassion, which she is far above.

1853.  Kane, Grinnell Exp., xliv. (1856), 406. Pressing as we do, under full canvas, against heavy yet quiescent masses, we gradually force ahead, breasting aside the floes, and leaving behind us a pool of open water.

  9.  trans. To press, put, or impose (something) forcibly on, upon (a person), and simply. Also, † To force (a person) on, upon (something): to oblige to resort to.

1601.  Shaks., Twel. N., III. i. 127.

1683.  A. D., Art Converse, 30. This barbarous custom of forcing drink upon men.

1709.  Swift, Adv. Relig., Wks. 1755, II. I. 106. The consequence of this remisness in education appears by observing, that nine in ten of those, who rise in the church or the court, the law or the army, are younger brothers, or new men, whose narrow fortunes have forced them upon industry and application.

1751.  Jortin, Serm. (1771), II. iii. 43. An observation which will force itself upon you.

a. 1848.  R. W. Hamilton, Rew. & Punishm., viii. (1853), 383. The warfare is forced upon us.

1872.  J. L. Sanford, Estim. Eng. Kings, Chas. I., 334. And however plainly the facts of the case were forced on his attention when he descended into the arena of practical politics, and however often in his personal acts and under peculiar circumstances Charles may have seemed to recognise facts as such, his mind never really recognised them, but recurred to those studies of early life in which theory stood for fact, in which facts were ignored, and in which truth and falsehood had a distinctive significance not with reference to the duties and obligations of real life, but to a standard of conscience to which those duties were entirely subordinated, and by which they were taken into account only so far as they did not contravene the conclusions and objects of one narrow school of thought.

  † b.  To lay stress upon, press home, urge. Obs. Also, To enforce (a law, etc.).

1580.  H. Gifford, Gilloflowers (1875), 87.

1603.  Shaks., Meas. for M., III. i. 108.

1607.  Drayton, Cromwell, ii., in Mirr. Mag. (1610), 520.

  c.  In Conjuring with cards (see quot. 1888).

1880.  Browning, Dram. Idylls, Ser. II. Clive, 116. Well, you forced a card and cheated!

1888.  Kunard, Card Tricks, 13. To Force a Card.… It consists in making a person select from a pack any particular card you desire him to take, while he imagines he is taking one quite at haphazard. Ibid., 13–4. To force, you must never be in a hurry…. Although he knew what we wished to do, four cards from the same pack were forced upon him.

  10.  To bring about, effect, or produce by force or effort; to bring about of necessity, or as a necessary result. Also, to force a passage, one’s way. lit. and fig.

1551.  T. Wilson, Logike (1580), 42 b. There be causes without the which, thinges can not be done, and yet are thei not any cause to force the effect.

1593.  Shaks., Lucr., 689.

1640.  Harington, Edw. IV., 35 The Nobility in generall lookt discontented, or else but forc’d a smile.

1651.  Hobbes, Leviath., II. xxix. 173. A hot, and strong endeavour of the Heart, to force a passage for the Bloud.

1680.  Otway, Orphan, II. i. 411.

1693.  Congreve, Old Bach., I. iv. I don’t force appetite, but wait the natural call of my lust, and think it time enough to be lewd after I have had the temptation.

1697.  Dampier, Voy., I. i. 6. We did not question but we should either get a good commerce with the Indians, by such toys as we had purposely brought with us, or else force our way through their Country, in spight of all their oppsition.

1711.  Shaftesbury, Charac. Misc., II. i. (1737), III. 46. If these Dealers are numerous, they will force a Trade.

1790.  Cath. Graham, Lett. Educ., 19–20. I have often laughed at the ridiculous situation which I have observed myself and others to be in, when relating with a passionate vehemence a succession of afflicting evils to hearers, who could hardly force such a seeming attention as is consistent with common politeness.

1802.  C. James, Milit. Dict., To Force a passage. To oblige your enemy to retire from his fastnesses, and to open a way into the country which he had occupied.

1809.  Roland, Fencing, v. 81. You may chuse to make a wide motion, with the intention to receive your adversary’s time thrust, in order that you may parry it, and consequently force a favourable opportunity to deliver the thrust you had thus premeditated.

1875.  Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), III. 416, The Republic, VII. These studies force their way by their natural charm.

  11.  To obtain or take by force; to win by violence; to draw forth (lit. and fig.) as a necessary consequence; to extort, elicit. Also, to force away, out.

1602.  Marston, Antonio’s Rev., IV. iii. Wks. 1856, I. 122.

1655.  T. Stanley, Hist. Philos., I. (1701), 46/2. Cleobulus Tyrant of Lindus, and Periander Tyrant of Corinth, who had neither vertue nor wisdome, by the greatnesse of their power, the multitude of their friends, and the obligations they conferred upon those that adhered to them, forced a reputation, and thrust themselves violently into the usurped name of wise-men.

1676.  Hobbes, Iliad, I. 375.

1687.  Atterbury, Answ. Consid. Spirit M. Luther, 65. The Heat of the Dispute had forc’d out from him Expressions that seem’d to make his Doctrine run higher than really it did.

1697.  Dryden, Æneid, X. 538.

1703.  Pope, Thebais, 300.

1715.  Lady M. W. Montagu, Town Eclogues, II. 46.

1719.  De Foe, Crusoe, I. iv. This forced tears from my eyes again; but as there was little relief in that, I resolved, if possible, to get to the ship.

1818.  Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. V. ix. 715. To the credit of the framers of the bill be it spoken, means of far greater efficacy, than usual, were employed to force out the real state of the facts, and to defeat the efforts at concealment or deception.

1818.  M. G. Lewis, Jrnl. W. Ind. (1834), 56. Somebody had just snatched at a medal which Britannia wore round her neck, and had endeavoured to force it away.

1845.  M. Pattison, Ess. (1889), I. 14. Brought into contact with a moral power claiming their obedience, and forcing from them a sort of recognition of its claims.

  12.  To hasten by artificial means the maturity of (plants, fruit, etc.). Also intr. for refl.

1719.  London & Wise, The Complete Gard’ner, IX. i. 304. We force Sorrel and wild Endive.

1823.  New Monthly Mag., IX. 1 Oct., 453/2. The Scarlets will force in a peach-house, or vinery, but will bear well in a stronger heat, provided they have plenty of air when in bloom.

1832.  Examiner, 801/1. Nomination burghs have been forced like mushrooms.

1842.  Brande, Dict. Sc. etc., s.v. Forcing, Cherries having been forced … from the time of Charles II.

Mod.  A premature scholar forced in a so-called ‘preparatory’ school.

  II.  To give, add, have force.

  † 13.  To give force or strength to; to strengthen, reinforce; also, to fortify, garrison (a place), to man (fortifications). Obs.

c. 1430.  Lydg., Bochas, I. ix. (1544), 20 a. Polinices to forcen his partie Ywedded had the kinges doughter dere.

1535.  Stewart, Cron. Scot. (1858), I. 13.

1560.  Rolland, The Court of Venus, II. 847. With stark draw brig, weil forcit with fortalice.

1605.  Shaks., Macb., V. v. 5.

a. 1618.  Raleigh, Apol. (1650), 28. If you shall find that any great number of Souldiers be newly sent into Orrenoque, as the Cassique of Caliana told us that there were, and that the Passages be already Forc’d.

1794.  W. Hutchinson, Hist. Durham, III. 175. The ground on which the present chapel stands is most elevated, and appears to have been forced, and is trenched round; from whence it may be presumed that there stood the castle, gaol, and court-house in ancient times.

1810.  C. James, Milit. Dict. (ed. 3). To Force … to man the works of a garrison.

  † b.  To fine (wine) by a short process. Obs.

1731–3.  P. Shaw, Chem. Lect. (1755), 208. These are the common Methods of Forcing at present used in the Wine-Business.

1802.  Willich, Dom. Encycl., II. Forcing of Wine: see Clarification.

1839.  J. Hartley, Wine & Spirit Merchants’ Comp., 44. Fine or force this wine with the whites and shells of ten eggs.

  † 14.  Chiefly in negative sentences: a. trans. To attach force or importance to; to care for, regard; often with a strengthening phrase, as a bean, a pin, a straw. Obs.

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, 1929. We fors not his frendship, ne fere of his hate.

1509.  Barclay, Shyp of Folys, 71 a. They forse no thynge so they may money wyn.

1587.  Turberv., Epit. & Sonn. (1837), 394.

1593.  Shaks., Lucr., 1021.

1606.  J. Raynolds, Dolarney’s Prim. (1880), 92. They feare not death, they force him not a pin.

1614.  Chr. Brooke, Poems (Grosart), Rich. III., 50.

  † (b)  with a sentence as obj. Obs.

1500–20.  Dunbar, Poems, lviii. 21.

1568.  Jacob & Esau, II. ii.

1580.  H. Gifford, Gilloflowers (Grosart), 98.

1611.  Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., IX. xx. (1632), 985. They forced not what part they tooke, so that they might bee reuenged on the King of England.

  † (c)  with inf. as obj. To care to, think it of consequence, or worth while to. Also, to hesitate, scruple. Obs.

1509.  Barclay, Shyp of Folys, 170 b.

1546.  Bale, Eng. Votaries, I. (1550), 60 b. He forced not to be periured.

1563.  Homilies, II. Right Use of Church, II. (1859), 163. Another reading doctrine, and forceth not to hear the common prayer of the minister.

1588.  Shaks., Loves Labour’s Lost, V. ii. 440. Your oath once broke, you force not to forsweare.

1591.  Harington, Orl. Fur., I. lxix.

  † b.  intr. To trouble oneself, be concerned, care. Const. for, of, rarely on. Obs.

1471.  Ripley, Comp. Alch., V. xxxv. in Ashm. (1652) 156.

1513.  More, in Grafton, Chron. (1568), II. 785. The Fryer forced for no shame, and so it harmed him the lesse.

1547.  Recorde, Judic. Ur., 2. I force nott though he doubt also of my truth in the same.

1548.  Hall, Chron., Hen. VIII., an. 22 (1809), 774. He [Wolsey] forced litle on Symony and was not pittifull and stood affectionate in his awne opinion.

1573.  New Custom, II. iii.

1605.  Camden, Rem., Wise Sp. 190. The Duke answered: I force not of such fooleries, but if I have any skill in South-saying, (as in sooth I have none,) it doth prognosticate that I shall change copie from a Duke to a King.

  † 15.  impers. or quasi-impers. To be of force, importance, or weight; to matter, signify. Obs.

a. 1400–50.  Alexander, 2001. Þen how fele be all þe flote · it forcez bot lityll.

1553.  T. Wilson, Rhet. (1580), 75. What forceth when we die.

1603.  Owen, Pembrokesh. (1891), 150. Whose soever they be yt forceth not.