Force

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /fɔːs/

Definitions

1. A push or pull that can cause an object to move, stop, or change direction
2. A physical or mental influence that can cause motion, alter movement, or change the state of an object or idea
3. A strength or energy that can initiate, obstruct, or redirect an object's movement or significantly alter its condition or perception

Etymology: English "force" has a surprising pedigree: its ancestor meant "waterfall." The noun came into Middle English from Old French "force," which was built from Late Latin "fortia," the neuter plural of Latin "fortis" ("strong"). The sense of strength was the original one, so the Latin root points to power rather than to falling water. The waterfall meaning belongs to a separate line. Old Norse "fors" ("waterfall") was borrowed into Middle English as "force" and "forz," and it survives today in Scandinavian words such as Swedish "fors" and Icelandic "foss." English "force" in the sense of a cataract is a doublet of "foss," meaning two words from one root that entered English by different routes. Northern English dialect kept "force" for a waterfall for centuries. The verb "to force" comes from Middle English "forcen," borrowed from Old French "forcier," from Late Latin "fortiāre," a derivative of "fortia." Some Middle English spellings were also influenced by "farce" ("to stuff"), which helped shape the verb's sense of pressing something into place.

Synonyms: strength, power, energy, might, influence

Antonyms: weakness, powerlessness, impotence, ineffectiveness, inability