To cause to do through pressure or necessity, by physical, moral or intellectual means.

synonyms: force, hale, pressure, squeeze.

Roget 751: restrain, check; put under restraint, lay under restraint; enthral, enthrall, inthral^†, inthrall^†, bethral^†, bethrall^†; restrict; debar etc. (hinder) 706; constrain; coerce etc. (compel) 744; curb, control; hold back, hold from, hold in, hold in check, hold within bounds, keep back, keep from, keep in, keep in check, keep within bounds; hold in leash, hold in leading strings; withhold.    keep under; repress, suppress; smother; pull in, rein in; hold, hold fast; keep a tight hand on; prohibit etc. 761; inhibit, cohibit^†.    enchain; fasten etc. (join) 43; fetter, shackle; entrammel^†; bridle, muzzle, hopple^†, gag, pinion, manacle, handcuff, tie one's hands, hobble, bind hand and foot; swathe, swaddle; pin down, tether; picket; tie down, tie up; secure; forge fetters; disable, hamstring (incapacitate) 158.    confine; shut up, shut in; clap up, lock up, box up, mew up, bottle up, cork up, seal up, button up; hem in, bolt in, wall in, rail in; impound, pen, coop; inclose etc. (circumscribe) 229; cage; incage^†, encage^†; close the door upon, cloister; imprison, immure; incarcerate, entomb; clap under hatches, lay under hatches; put in irons, put in a strait-waistcoat; throw into prison, cast into prison; put into bilboes.    arrest; take up, take charge of, take into custody; take prisoner, take captive, make prisoner, make captive; captivate; lead captive, lead into captivity; send to prison, commit to prison; commit; give in charge, give in custody; subjugate etc. 749.    ... show more

Roget 744: compel, force, make, drive, coerce, constrain, enforce, necessitate, oblige.    force upon, press; cram down the throat, thrust down the throat, force down the throat; say it must be done, make a point of, insist upon, take no denial; put down, dragoon.    extort, wring from; squeeze, put on the squeeze; put on the screws, turn on the screw; drag into; bind, bind over; pin down, tie down; require, tax, put in force; commandeer; restrain etc. 751.    ... show more

Roget 739: be severe etc. adj.. assume, usurp, arrogate, take liberties; domineer, bully etc. 885; tyrannize, inflict, wreak, stretch a point, put on the screw; be hard upon; bear a heavy hand on, lay a heavy hand on; be down upon, come down upon; ill treat; deal hardly with, deal hard measure to; rule with a rod of iron, chastise with scorpions; dye with blood; oppress, override; trample under foot; tread under foot, tread upon, trample upon, tread down upon, trample down upon; crush under an iron heel, ride roughshod over; rivet the yoke; hold a tight hand, keep a tight hand; force down the throat; coerce etc. 744; give no quarter etc. (pitiless) 914.1. ... show more

Dutch: dwingen, forceren, knijpen