英文字典中文字典Word104.com

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Compel \Com*pel"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Compelled}; p. pr. & vb.
n. {Compelling}.] [L. compellere, compulsum, to drive
together, to compel, urge; com- pellere to drive: cf. OF.
compellir. See {Pulse}.]
1. To drive or urge with force, or irresistibly; to force; to
constrain; to oblige; to necessitate, either by physical
or moral force.
[1913 Webster]

Wolsey . . . compelled the people to pay up the
whole subsidy at once. --Hallam.
[1913 Webster]

And they compel one Simon . . . to bear his cross.
--Mark xv. 21.
[1913 Webster]

2. To take by force or violence; to seize; to exact; to
extort. [R.]
[1913 Webster]

Commissions, which compel from each
The sixth part of his substance. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]

3. To force to yield; to overpower; to subjugate.
[1913 Webster]

Easy sleep their weary limbs compelled. --Dryden.
[1913 Webster]

I compel all creatures to my will. --Tennyson.
[1913 Webster]

4. To gather or unite in a crowd or company. [A Latinism] "In
one troop compelled." --Dryden.
[1913 Webster]

5. To call forth; to summon. [Obs.] --Chapman.
[1913 Webster]

She had this knight from far compelled. --Spenser.

Syn: To force; constrain; oblige; necessitate; coerce. See
{Coerce}.
[1913 Webster]