force

Everyday

1. In science: a push or a pull that can make something move, stop, speed up, slow down or change shape. tree →
2. Strength or power: «He pushed with force». tree →
3. Verb: to make someone do something they don't want to: «Nobody can force you». tree →
4. Verb: to use strength to open or move something: force a door open. tree →
5. A group of people trained to work together: the police force, the air force. tree →

In the lessons

In science: forces include gravity (pulls down), friction (slows things down), air resistance, water resistance, upthrust (pushes up in water), magnetism; forces are measured in newtons (N) with a forcemeter; balanced forces keep things still; unbalanced forces change motion. In safety: no one can force you to do something unsafe or to keep a secret that hurts. Phrases: push and pull forces, force of gravity, by force, in force (rules active), the police force, join forces, force open.

Examples

• A force is a push or a pull. tree →
• Gravity is a force that pulls things down. tree →
• Friction is a force that slows things down. tree →
• Forces are measured in newtons. tree →
• Nobody can force you to keep a bad secret. tree →
• He forced the door open. tree →
• The police force keeps people safe. tree →
• The two teams joined forces to win. tree →
• Who dares to use force in my palace? tree →

Note

Countable when it means a kind of force (forces), uncountable when it means strength. Regular verb: forced (drop the e). In science a force has a size and a direction (arrows on a diagram). Myth: a moving object doesn't need a force to keep moving — it slows because of friction.

In Jewish tradition

It means strength or physical power, as with Moses' strength at his death.

Interpretation. Moses' strength was unabated at 120, and tradition reads it as a gift of God. In Sefer Yetzirah the Sefirot are called forces of creation.

Examples

• And Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated. (Torah DEU.34.7, JPS 1917) tree →
• And Jacob answered and said to Laban: 'Because I was afraid; for I said: Lest thou shouldest take thy daughters from me by force. (Torah GEN.31.31, JPS 1917) tree →
• is '' the voices from nothing." The Ten Sephiruth of the Kabalah are the " Ten Primary Emanations from the Divine Source " which are the primal forces leading to all manifestation upon every plane in succession. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) tree →
• Will thy riches avail, that are without stint, or all the forces of thy strength? (Writings JOB.36.19, JPS 1917) tree →
• Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the stays of his body. (Writings JOB.40.16, JPS 1917) tree →
• Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice; but being stronger than she, he forced her, and lay with her. (Prophets 2SA.13.14, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Countable when it means a kind of force (forces), uncountable when it means strength. Regular verb: forced (drop the e). In science a force has a size and a direction (arrows on a diagram). Myth: a moving object doesn't need a force to keep moving — it slows because of friction.