enforce
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Contents |
English [edit]
Alternative forms [edit]
Etymology [edit]
From Old French enforcier, from Late Latin infortiāre, from in- + fortis (“strong”).
Pronunciation [edit]
Verb [edit]
enforce (third-person singular simple present enforces, present participle enforcing, simple past and past participle enforced)
- (obsolete, transitive) To strengthen (a castle, town etc.) with extra troops, fortifications etc. [14th-18th c.]
- (obsolete, transitive) To intensify, make stronger, add force to. [14th-18th c.]
- (obsolete, reflexive) To exert oneself, to try hard. [14th-17th c.]
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book VII:
- I pray you enforce youreselff at that justis that ye may be beste, for my love.
- 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book VII:
- To give strength or force to; to affirm, to emphasize. [from 15th c.]
- The victim was able to enforce his evidence against the alleged perpetrator.
- (archaic) To compel, oblige (someone or something); to force. [from 16th c.]
- 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, I.2.4.iv:
- Uladislaus the Second, King of Poland, and Peter Dunnius, Earl of Shrine [...] had been hunting late, and were enforced to lodge in a poor cottage.
- 1899, E. OE. Somerville and Martin Ross, Some Experiences of an Irish R.M., Great Uncle McCarthy:
- In a few minutes I was stealthily groping my way down my own staircase, with a box of matches in my hand, enforced by scientific curiosity, but none the less armed with a stick.
- 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, I.2.4.iv:
- To keep up, impose or bring into effect something, not necessarily by force. [from 17th c.]
- The police are there to enforce the law.
Derived terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
to exert
|
to compel
|
to keep up
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
|
