compel

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English compellen, borrowed from Middle French compellir, from Latin compellere, itself from com- (“together”) + pellere (“to drive”). Displaced native Old English nīedan. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /kəmˈpɛl/ Rhymes: -ɛl Hyphenation: com‧pel === Verb === compel (third-person singular simple present compels, present participle compelling, simple past and past participle compelled) (transitive, archaic, literally) To drive together, round up. (transitive) To overpower; to subdue. (transitive) To force, constrain, or coerce. (transitive) To forcefully or powerfully motivate (a course of action). (transitive) To have a strong, irresistible force (on someone or something). (transitive) To exact, extort, (make) produce by force. (obsolete) To force to yield; to overpower; to subjugate. (obsolete) To gather or unite in a crowd or company. (obsolete) To call forth; to summon. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== compulsion ==== Translations ==== === References === “compel”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC. “compel”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present. Random House Webster’s Unabridged Electronic Dictionary, 1987-1996.