Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Wikipedia

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Derived terms 1.3.2 Translations 1.4 Verb 1.4.1 Translations 1.4.2 Derived terms 1.5 See also 2 French 2.1 Pronunciation 2.2 Etymology 2.3 Noun

[ English

[ Etymology

From Old French force.

(In names of waterfalls in north England it comes from Old Norse fors or foss, "waterfall".)

[ Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /fɔːs/
• (US) IPA: /fɔɹs/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}
• Rhymes: -ɔː(r)s

[ Noun

force (countable and uncountable; plural forces)

1. (uncountable) Anything that is able to make a big change in a person or thing.

Wikipedia

1. (uncountable, physics) A physical quantity that denotes ability to push, pull, twist or accelerate a body and is measured in a unit dimensioned in mass × distance/time² (ML/T²).
   • Units:

   SI: newton (N)

   CGS: dyne (dyn)

2. (countable) A group that aims to attack, control, or constrain.

   police force

3. (uncountable) The ability to attack, control, or constrain.

   show of force

4. (countable) A magic trick in which the outcome is known to the magician beforehand, especially one involving the apparent free choice of a card by another person.
5. (the force) A fictional semi-sentient phenomenon that certain individuals can call upon for assistance in the Star Wars stories. See also Force.
   • May the force be with you.
6. (law) Legal validity.
   • The law will come into force in January.
7. (law) Either unlawful violence, as in a "forced entry", or lawful compulsion.

[ Derived terms

[ Translations

[ Verb

to force (third-person singular simple present forces, present participle forcing, simple past and past participle forced)

1. (transitive) To exert violence, compulsion, or constraint upon or against a person or thing.
2. (transitive) To cause to occur, overcoming inertia or resistance.
   • force a decision
3. (transitive, baseball) To create an out by touching a base in advance of a runner who has no base to return to while in possession of a ball which has already touched the ground.
   • Jones forced the runner at second by stepping on the bag.

[ Translations

[ Derived terms

• enforce
• forceful
• forcible

[ See also

• Imperial: foot pound
• Metric: newton

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[ French

[ Pronunciation

•  audio^{help, file}
• IPA: /fɔʀs/, SAMPA: /fORs/
• Rhymes: -ɔʀs

[ Etymology

From Late Latin fortia.

[ Noun

force f. (plural forces)

1. Force.