force
UK[fɔːs]US[fɔːrs]
n
Physical strength or power
n
Coercion or compulsion, especially with the use or threat of violence
n
An organized body of military personnel or police
v
To make something happen or to do something by using strength or power
Etymology
The word 'force' entered English in the 13th century from Old French force, fors, which itself derived from the Vulgar Latin fortia. This Latin form is a noun use of the neuter plural of the adjective fortis, meaning "strong". The ultimate origin is the Proto-Indo-European root bhergh-, meaning "high, elevated," with derived senses of "mighty, strong." The semantic journey traces a path from a concrete physical attribute ("strength") to the abstract concepts of coercion, power, and organized bodies of people, reflecting how fundamental qualities become institutionalized.
Analysis
This is a simplex word of Old French origin, ultimately from Latin fortis meaning "strong". It functions as a single, indivisible lexical unit in modern English.
Examples
The hurricane's force destroyed several buildings.
The new law was passed by force of public opinion.
He was forced to resign from his position.