COERCES

Verb

coerces

Third-person singular simple present indicative form of coerce

Source: Wiktionary


COERCE

Co*erce", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Coerced; p. pr. & vb. n. Coercing.] Etym: [L. coërcere; co- + arcere to shut up, to press together. See Ark.]

1. To restrain by force, especially by law or authority; to repress; to curb. Burke. Punishments are manifold, that they may coerce this profligate sort. Ayliffe.

2. To compel or constrain to any action; as, to coerce a man to vote for a certain candidate.

3. To compel or enforce; as, to coerce obedience.

Syn.

– To Coerce, Compel. To compel denotes to urge on by force which cannot be resisted. The term aplies equally to physical and moral force; as, compelled by hunger; compelled adverse circumstances; compelled by parental affection. Coerce had at first only the negative sense of checking or restraining by force; as, to coerce a bad man by punishments or a prisoner with fetters. It has now gained a positive sense., viz., that of driving a person into the performance of some act which is required of him by another; as, to coerce a man to sign a contract; to coerce obedience. In this sense (which is now the prevailing one), coerce differs but little from compel, and yet there is a distinction between them. Coercion is usually acomplished by indirect means, as threats and intimidation, physical force being more rarely employed in coercing.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

29 November 2024

POPULATED

(adjective) furnished with inhabitants; “the area is well populated”; “forests populated with all kinds of wild life”


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Coffee Trivia

Coffee dates back to the 9th century. Goat herders in Ethiopia noticed their goats seem to be “dancing” after eating berries from a particular shrub. They reported it to the local monastery, and a monk made a drink out of it. The monk found out he felt energized and kept him awake at night. That’s how the first coffee drink was born.

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