perforce

WOTD - 9 June 2008    

English

Etymology

From Middle English par force, from Anglo-Norman, from Old French par force (“by force”)

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /pəˈfɔːs/, SAMPA: /p@"fO:s/
• (US) IPA: /pɚˈfɔɹs/, SAMPA: /p@`"fOrs/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adverb

perforce (not comparable)

1. (archaic) By force.
   • 1593 — William Shakespeare, Richard III, Act iii, scene 1 (First Folio)

     If ſhe denie, Lord Hastings goe with him,
     And from her iealous Armes pluck him perforce.

2. Necessarily.
   • 1922, James Joyce, Ulysses Episode 16

     So, bevelling around by Mullett's and the Signal House which they shortly reached, they proceeded perforce in the direction of Amiens street railway terminus

   • 2006 — Alejandro Portes, Rubén G. Rumbaut, Immigrant America: A Portrait, 3rd ed., page 239

     Adult immigrants must perforce learn some English, and their children are likely to become English monolinguals.

Quotations

• For examples of the usage of this term see the citations page.

Translations

by force

Polish: siłą rzeczy, z konieczności

Scottish Gaelic: air èiginn (gd)

Verb

perforce (third-person singular simple present perforces, present participle perforcing, simple past and past participle perforced)

1. (obsolete) To force; to compel.