co·erce   (kō-ûrs')    tr.v.   co·erced, co·erc·ing, co·erc·es To force to act or think in a certain way by use of pressure, threats, or intimidation; compel. To dominate, restrain, or control forcibly: coerced the strikers into compliance. See Synonyms at force. To bring about by force or threat: efforts to coerce agreement. [Latin coercēre, to control, restrain : co-, co- + arcēre, to enclose, confine.] co·erc'er n., co·erc'i·ble adj.

Coerce

Co*erce"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Coerced; p. pr. & vb. n. Coercing.] [L. co["e]rcere; co- + arcere to shut up, to press together. See Ark.]

1. To restrain by force, especially by law or authority; to repress; to curb. --Burke.

Punishments are manifold, that they may coerce this profligate sort. --Ayliffe.

2. To compel or constrain to any action; as, to coerce a man to vote for a certain candidate.

3. To compel or enforce; as, to coerce obedience.

Syn: To Coerce, Compel.

Usage: To compel denotes to urge on by force which cannot be resisted. The term aplies equally to physical and moral force; as, compelled by hunger; compelled adverse circumstances; compelled by parental affection. Coerce had at first only the negative sense of checking or restraining by force; as, to coerce a bad man by punishments or a prisoner with fetters. It has now gained a positive sense., viz., that of driving a person into the performance of some act which is required of him by another; as, to coerce a man to sign a contract; to coerce obedience. In this sense (which is now the prevailing one), coerce differs but little from compel, and yet there is a distinction between them. Coercion is usually acomplished by indirect means, as threats and intimidation, physical force being more rarely employed in coercing.

coerce 

Main Entry: co·erce
Pronunciation: kO-'&rs
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: co·erced; co·erc·ing
: to subject (a person) to coercion —compare IMPORTUNE, SOLICIT