Emily Dickinson Lexicon

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. Milton.
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. Dryden.
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.] Shak. Ralegh. 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.