forcing

7 definitions • 17 examples

present participle of

to make something happen or make someone do something difficult, unpleasant, or unusual, especially by threatening or not offering the possibility of choice:

force someone/something to do something You can't force her to make a decision.

be forced to Hospitals are being forced to close departments because of lack of money.

force yourself to do something I really have to force myself to be nice to him.

force something back You could tell he was having to force back the tears (= to stop himself from crying).

force something down The food tasted nasty, but I managed to force it down (= to make myself swallow it).

force something on someone I didn't actually want any more dessert, but Julia forced it on me (= made me accept it).

force yourself on someone I couldn't stay at their flat - I'd feel as if I was forcing myself on them (= making them allow me to stay).

force something out of someone You never tell me how you're feeling - I have to force it out of you (= make you tell me)!

If plants or vegetables are forced, they are made to grow faster by artificially controlling growing conditions such as the amount of heat and light:

forced strawberries

to manage, with difficulty, to laugh or smile:

I managed to force a smile as they were leaving.

to take action to make certain that an urgent problem or matter is dealt with now:

If the management wouldn't listen to their demands, they would have to force the issue by striking.

to use physical strength or effort to make something move or open:

Move your leg up gently when you're doing this exercise, but don't force it.

If you force the zip, it'll break.

force your way somewhere She forced her way through the crowd.

to break a lock, door, window, etc. in order to allow someone to get in:

I forgot my key, so I had to force a window.

force something open The police had forced open the door because nobody had answered.

force an entry The burglar forced an entry (= broke a window, door, etc. to get into the house).