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Compel

//kəmˈpɛl// verb

Definitions

Verb
  1. 1
    To drive together, round up. archaic, literally, transitive

    "The shepherds compelled the stray sheep into the fold as night began to fall."

  2. 2
    force somebody to do something wordnet
  3. 3
    To overpower; to subdue. transitive

    "She had one of those perfect faces, which irresistibly compel the soul of a man."

  4. 4
    necessitate or exact wordnet
  5. 5
    To force, constrain, or coerce. transitive

    "Logic compels the wise, while fools feel compelled by emotions."

Show 6 more definitions
  1. 6
    To forcefully or powerfully motivate (a course of action). transitive

    "As the novel progresses, it picks up a propulsive energy, the kind that compels you to keep reading straight through to the end."

  2. 7
    To have a strong, irresistible force (on someone or something). transitive
  3. 8
    To exact, extort, (make) produce by force. transitive

    "Commissions, which compel from each / The sixth part of his substance."

  4. 9
    To force to yield; to overpower; to subjugate. obsolete

    "Easy sleep their weary limbs compell'd."

  5. 10
    To gather or unite in a crowd or company. obsolete

    "in one troop compell'd"

  6. 11
    To call forth; to summon. obsolete

    "She had this knight from far compeld."

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.

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