[di-fawrs, -fohrs] 
| 1. | to withhold (property, esp. land) by force or violence, as from the rightful owner. |
| 2. | to eject or evict by force. |
| de·force (dē-fôrs', -fōrs') tr.v. de·forced, de·forc·ing, de·forc·es Law To withhold (something) by force from the rightful owner. [Middle English deforcen, from Anglo-Norman deforcer, from Old French desforcier : des-, de- + forcier, to force (from Vulgar Latin *fortiāre, from Latin fortis, strong; see bhergh-2 in Indo-European roots).] de·force'ment n. |
