1 [noncount] : physical strength, power, or effect
▪ The front of the car took the full force of the collision. ▪ instruments used to measure the force of the wind 2 [noncount] : power or violence used on a person or thing
▪ The police were accused of using excessive force when they made the arrest. ▪ We discourage the use of force. ▪ a show of force ▪ He used brute force to open the door. ▪ He took the purse from her by force. [=he used physical power to take her purse] ▪ He feels that this conflict can only be resolved by force of arms. [=by using weapons; by military action] 3 [noncount] : strength or power that is not physical
▪ I was impressed by the force of her personality. ▪ lending force to his arguments [=making his arguments more effective/persuasive] ▪ These regulations do not have the force of law. [=they do not have the power that laws have] ▪ She succeeded by/through sheer force of will. [=because she was so determined to succeed] ▪ Through/By force of circumstance(s) [=because of conditions that cannot be controlled], the company has had to lay off several hundred workers. ▪ Even after he retired, he still woke up early every day by/from force of habit. [=he woke up early every day because he was in the habit of doing so] 4 technical : a natural power or effect that is able to change the speed or direction of something [noncount] ▪ the force of gravity [count] ▪ gravitational/electromagnetic forces — see also centrifugal force 5 [count] : something (such as rain or wind) that occurs in nature and that can be very powerful — usually plural ▪ The cliff was gradually eroded by the forces of nature. ▪ natural forces — sometimes used figuratively ▪ She gets people to do whatever she wants: she's a force of nature. [=she's a very powerful person who cannot be easily controlled] 6 [count] a : a group of soldiers trained to fight in a war
▪ a force of 20,000 soldiers ▪ He belonged to an elite fighting force. ▪ The enemy forces had us surrounded. ▪ ground forces ▪ allied/rebel forces — see also air force
b [count] : a group of people who do a particular job or are available for a particular purpose
▪ our country's labor/work force ▪ The company has a very large sales force. ▪ security forces — see also task force
c the Force informal : police force
▪ After graduating from high school, he joined the Force.
d the forces Brit : armed forces
▪ Will the new defense policy weaken the forces? 7 [count] : a person or group that has the power to do something or make something happen
▪ The organization has been a strong force for good. [=has done a lot of good things] ▪ He has been the driving/motivating force behind these changes. [=he has been the person who has caused these changes to occur] ▪ He has become a force to be reckoned with [=a person who has power and influence] in politics. 8 — used to describe the strength of a wind ▪ damage caused by a force 9 gale ▪ The house was flattened by hurricane-force winds. ▪ Storm-force winds [=very strong winds] are expected tonight. 9 [count] baseball : force-out
▪ a force at second base