Dictionary Definition
compel
Verb
1 force or compel somebody to do something; "We
compel all students to fill out this form" [syn: oblige, obligate]
User Contributed Dictionary
English
Pronunciation
- /kəmˈpɛl/, /k@m"pEl/
Verb
- To force, constrain or coerce.
- 1600, William
Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, act 5, sc. 1,
- Against my will,
- As Pompey was, am I compell'd to set
- Upon one battle all our liberties.
- As Pompey was, am I compell'd to set
- Against my will,
- 1849, Charlotte
Brontë, Shirley, ch. 27,
- Why are not the laws more stringent, that I might compel her to hear reason?
- 1600, William
Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, act 5, sc. 1,
- To exact or produce by force.
- 1912, L. Frank
Baum, Sky Island, ch. 14,
- The Queen has nothing but the power to execute the laws, to adjust grievances and to compel order.
- 1912, L. Frank
Baum, Sky Island, ch. 14,
- To overpower; to
subdue.
- 1917, Upton
Sinclair, King Coal, ch. 16,
- She had one of those perfect faces, which irresistibly compel the soul of a man.
- 1917, Upton
Sinclair, King Coal, ch. 16,
Related terms
Translations
To force, constrain or coerce
- Finnish: pakottaa, ajaa
- German: zwingen, nötigen
- Russian: impf. заставлять; pf. заставить
* Spanish: obligar, [forzar]]
To exact by force
To overpower
- German: zwingen
Translations to be checked
- ttbc Dutch: dwingen (nl)
- ttbc Old English: bǣdan
References
- Webster 1913
- Dictionary.com
- Random House Webster's Unabridged Electronic Dictionary, 1987-1996.
Extensive Definition
To compel one to present information to a
jury is done by order of a
judge. If a judge believes
the individual has information relevant to the cause, he can
"force" that person to present that information or be subject to
arrest for contempt
of court.
word
Synonyms, Antonyms and Related Words
actuate, animate, beat down, beset, bind, break, browbeat, bulldoze, bully, castrate, cause, cause to, clamp down on,
coerce, concuss, constrain, cow, daunt, despotize, dictate, domineer, domineer over,
drive, drive on, energize, enforce, enslave, force, forward, foster, galvanize, give an impetus,
give momentum, goad,
grind, grind down,
grip, have, henpeck, hold, impel, incite, infatuate, insist upon,
intimidate, keep
down, keep under, lord it over, make, motivate, move, move to action, necessitate, not let go,
oblige, obsess, oppress, overawe, overbear, overmaster, override, possess, power, preoccupy, press heavy on,
promote, propel, put in motion, repress, restrain, ride over, ride
roughshod over, set agoing, set going, set in motion, shotgun, spark, stimulate, subjugate, suppress, terrorize, thrust, tie, trample down, trample upon,
tread down, tread upon, tyrannize, tyrannize over,
unman, use force upon,
walk all over, walk over, weigh heavy on, whip on