force

force: force¹ n

1: a cause of motion, activity, or change

intervening force: a force that acts after another's negligent act or omission has occurred and that causes injury to another: intervening cause at cause

irresistible force: an unforeseeable event esp. that prevents performance of an obligation under a contract: force majeure

2: a body of persons available for a particular end

the labor force; specif: police force

— usu. used with the

3: violence, compulsion, or constraint exerted upon or against a person or thing

constructive force: the use of threats or intimidation for the purpose of gaining control over or preventing resistance from another

dead·ly force: force that is intended to cause or that carries a substantial risk of causing death or serious bodily injury compare nondeadly force in this entry

◇ As a general rule, deadly force may be used without incurring criminal or tort liability when one reasonably believes that one's life or safety is in danger. In some cases, a person's unreasonable belief in the need for deadly force has been used to justify reducing a charge of murder to voluntary manslaughter. Additionally, a police officer is generally justified in using deadly force to prevent the escape of a suspect who threatens the officer or who the officer has probable cause to believe has committed a violent crime.

lawful force: force that is considered justified under the law and does not create criminal or tort liability compare unlawful force in this entry

mod·er·ate force /'mä-də-rət-/: nondeadly force in this entry

non·dead·ly force: force that is intended to cause minor bodily injury; also: a threat (as by the brandishing of a gun) to use deadly force – called also moderate force; compare deadly force in this entry

reasonable force: Lawful force that is reasonably necessary to accomplish a particular end (as preventing theft of one's property)

unlawful force: force that is not justified under the law and therefore is considered a tort or crime or both compare lawful force in this entry

in force: valid and operative

a life insurance policy in force

force² vt forced, forc·ing

1 a: to compel by physical means often against resistance

forced him into the car

b: to break open or through

forced the door see also forcible entry

2: to impose or require by law see also elective share; forced heir at heir; forced sale at sale

force: I (compulsion) noun arbitrary power, authority, coaction, coercion, command, compulsion, constraining power, constraint, constriction, control, demand, dictation, discipline, drive, duress, enforcement, exaction, impelling, imposition, impressment, inducement, insistence, martial law, necessitation, necessitude, necessity, need, oppression, persuasion, pressure, prevailing, repression, restraint, restriction, sanction, spur of necessity, stress, strict control, subjection, subjugation, urgency, vehemence associated concepts: ejectment by force, forced merger, forced payment, forced sale foreign phrases:
- Vis iegibus est inimica. — Force is inimical to the laws

- Quod alias bonum et justum est, si per vim vel fraudem petatur, malum et injustum efficitur. — What otherwise is good and just, becomes bad and unjust if it is sought by force and fraud

- Non videtur vim facere, qui jure suo utitur et ordlnaria actione experitur. — He is not considered to use force who exercises his own right, and proceeds by ordinary action

- Ejus nulla culpa est, cui parere necesse sit. — No guilt attaches to a person who is compelled to obey

- Nihil consensui tarn contrarium est quam vis atque metus. — Nothing is so opposed to consent as force and fear.
II (legal efficacy) noun authorized might, lawful power, lawful vigor, legal vitality, legitimate puissance, rightful strength, sanctioned effectiveness, sanctioned potency, statutory cogency, valid potentiality III (strength) noun ability, ableness, ascendancy, authoritativeness, brawn, capability, cogency, command, competence, consequence, control, domination, dominion, effectiveness, effectuality, efficacy, empowerment, enablement, endurance, energy, firmness, forcefulness, hardiness, impact, impetus, importance, influence, influentiality, intensity, manus, mastery, might, mightiness, omnipotence, physical power, potence, potency, power, powerfulness, predominance, pressure, primacy, proficiency, stamina, supremacy, sway, vigor, vigorousness, virulence, vis, vitality associated concepts: armed force, constructive force, excessive force, intervening force, physical force, superior force, threats of force, unnecessary force, unreasonable force foreign phrases:
- Vim vi repellere licet, modo flat moderamine inculpatae tutelae, non ad sumendam vindictam, sed ad propulsandam injuriam. — It is lawful to repel force by force, provided it be done with the moderation of blameless defense, not for the purpose of taking revenge, but to repel injury
IV (break) verb batter, breach, crack, disjoint, fissure, inrumpere, invade, pry, rend, rive, rupture, shatter, smash, split, strain, tear asunder, wrench V (coerce) verb apply pressure, cause to yield, command, compel, constrain, control, demand, enforce, enforce obedience, enjoin, enslave, enthrall, exercise power over, exprimere, extorquere, extort, impose, insist, make obligatory, necessitate, obligate, oblige, order, overpower, overwhelm, press, push, put under obligation, require, tax, urge, use violence VI index ardor, attack, authority (power), band, bind (obligate), cast (throw), catalyst, clout, coerce, coercion, command, compel, compulsion (coercion), connotation, consequence (significance), constrain (compel), constraint (restriction), content (meaning), context, dint, dominance, draw (attraction), duress, emphasis, enforce, enforcement, entail, exact, extort, foist, hijack, impact, impetus, impose (subject), inflict, infliction, infringement, leverage, levy, main point, make, mistreat, misusage, necessitate, obtrude, oppression, overload, potential, power, press (constrain), pressure (noun), pressure (verb), prestige, puissance, purpose, repercussion, require (compel), rigor, severity, significance, signification, sinew, spirit, staff, strength, stress (accent), stress (strain), struggle, subjection, substance (essential nature), validity, value, violence, weight (importance)

force: n.
Compulsion; power exerted to make something happen.
v.
To make someone do something against his or her will.

force: n. Power or strength.

@ deadly force

Force used which is known or expected, or should be expected to cause death.

@ in force

Legal validity, as with a law or regulation that is "in force."
@

force: Power, violence, compulsion, or constraint exerted upon or against a person or thing. Power dynamically considered, that is, in motion or in action; constraining power, compulsion; strength directed to an end. Commonly the word occurs in such connections as to show that unlawful or wrongful action is meant, e.g., forcible entry.

Power statically considered, that is, at rest, or latent, but capable of being called into activity upon occasion for its exercise. Efficacy; legal validity. This is the meaning when we say that a statute or a contract is in force.

force: Power, violence, compulsion, or constraint exerted upon or against a person or thing. Power dynamically considered, that is, in motion or in action; constraining power, compulsion; strength directed to an end. Commonly the word occurs in such connections as to show that unlawful or wrongful action is meant, e.g., forcible entry.

Power statically considered, that is, at rest, or latent, but capable of being called into activity upon occasion for its exercise. Efficacy; legal validity. This is the meaning when we say that a statute or a contract is in force.

Synonyms:

Strength (regarded as active), power, might, energy, vigor, Compel, coerce, constrain, necessitate / Efficacy, efficiency, potency, validity, cogency, virtue, agency, Impel, drive, urge, press / Violence, compulsion, coercion, constraint, enforcement, Ravish, violate, constuprate, commit a rape on / Army, troop, legion, host, squadron, phalanx, battalion

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force — [ fɔrs ] n. f. • 1080; bas lat. fortia, plur. neutre substantivé de fortis → 1. fort; forcer I ♦ La force de qqn. 1 ♦ Puissance d action physique (d un être, d un organe). Force physique; force musculaire. ⇒ résistance, robustesse, vigueur. Force … Encyclopédie Universelle
forcé — force [ fɔrs ] n. f. • 1080; bas lat. fortia, plur. neutre substantivé de fortis → 1. fort; forcer I ♦ La force de qqn. 1 ♦ Puissance d action physique (d un être, d un organe). Force physique; force musculaire. ⇒ résistance, robustesse, vigueur … Encyclopédie Universelle
force — Force, Vis, Neruositas, Fortitudo, Virtus. Il se prend quelquesfois pour le dessus d une entreprinse ou affaire, comme, Il combatit si vaillamment que la force fut sienne, c est à dire, que le dessus du combat et la victoire fut à luy. Item,… … Thresor de la langue françoyse
force — Force. subst. fem. Vigueur, faculté naturelle d agir vigoureusement. Il se dit proprement du corps. Force naturelle. grande force. force extraordinaire. force de corps. force de bras, la force consiste dans les nerfs. frapper de toute sa force, y … Dictionnaire de l'Académie française
Force — Force, n. [F. force, LL. forcia, fortia, fr. L. fortis strong. See {Fort}, n.] 1. Capacity of exercising an influence or producing an effect; strength or energy of body or mind; active power; vigor; might; often, an unusual degree of strength or… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
forcé — forcé, ée (for sé, sée) part. passé de forcer. 1° À quoi on a fait violence, qu on a tordu, brisé avec violence. Un coffre forcé. Une serrure forcée. • Ils [les Juifs] répandirent dans le monde que le sépulcre [de Jésus] avait été forcé ;… … Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré
force — n 1 *power, energy, strength, might, puissance Analogous words: *stress, strain, pressure, tension: *speed, velocity, momentum, impetus, headway 2 Force, violence, compulsion, coercion, duress, constraint, restraint denote the exercise or the… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
force — [fôrs, fōrs] n. [ME < OFr < VL * fortia, * forcia < L fortis, strong: see FORT1] 1. strength; energy; vigor; power 2. the intensity of power; impetus [the force of a blow] 3. a) physical power or strength exerted against a person or… … English World dictionary
Force — Force, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Forced}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Forcing}.] [OF. forcier, F. forcer, fr. LL. forciare, fortiare. See {Force}, n.] 1. To constrain to do or to forbear, by the exertion of a power not resistible; to compel by physical, moral,… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
force — ► NOUN 1) physical strength or energy as an attribute of action or movement. 2) Physics an influence tending to change the motion of a body or produce motion or stress in a stationary body. 3) coercion backed by the use or threat of violence. 4)… … English terms dictionary

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