com|pel´la|ble

com|pel´la|ble
com|pel «kuhm PEHL», transitive verb, -pelled, -pel|ling.
1. to drive or urge with force; force: »

Rain compelled us to stop our ball game. Circumstances compel us to economize.

2. to bring about by force; command: »

A policeman can compel obedience to the law.

3. to drive or gather together by force.
4. Obsolete. to take or get by force.
╂[< Latin compellere to force; collect < com- together + pellere drive]
–com|pel´la|ble, adjective.
–com|pel´ler, noun.
Synonym Study 1 Compel, impel mean to force. Compel means force a person to do something one wants or to give in to something: »

It is impossible to compel a person to love his fellow men.

Impel means force to move forward, but is most often used figuratively to mean drive forward by strong desire or motive or emotion: »

His hunger impelled him to beg.


Useful english dictionary. 2012.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • com|pel´ler — com|pel «kuhm PEHL», transitive verb, pelled, pel|ling. 1. to drive or urge with force; force: »Rain compelled us to stop our ball game. Circumstances compel us to economize. 2. to bring about by force; command: »A policeman can compel obedience… …   Useful english dictionary

  • com|pel — «kuhm PEHL», transitive verb, pelled, pel|ling. 1. to drive or urge with force; force: »Rain compelled us to stop our ball game. Circumstances compel us to economize. 2. to bring about by force; command: »A policeman can compel obedience to the… …   Useful english dictionary

  • com — com·bas·sou; com·bat·ive; com·bat·ive·ly; com·bat·ive·ness; com·ba·tiv·i·ty; com·bin·abil·i·ty; com·bin·able; com·bi·na·tion·al; com·bi·na·tion·al·ism; com·bi·na·tive; com·bi·na·to·ry; com·bined; com·bine·ment; com·bin·er; com·bi·net; com·bite;… …   English syllables

  • ble — ab·di·ca·ble; abom·i·na·ble; abus·a·ble; ac·ces·si·ble; ac·com·mo·da·ble; ac·cost·a·ble; ac·cu·mu·la·ble; ac·cus·a·ble; ace·to·sol·u·ble; achie·va·ble; acid·i·fi·a·ble; ac·knowl·edge·a·ble; act·a·ble; ac·ti·va·ble; ac·tu·al·iz·a·ble; add·a·ble;… …   English syllables

  • compellable — com·pel·la·ble …   English syllables

  • compel — com•pel [[t]kəmˈpɛl[/t]] v. t. pelled, pel•ling 1) to force or drive, esp. to a course of action: His unruliness compels us to dismiss him[/ex] 2) to secure or bring about by force or power: to compel obedience[/ex] 3) archaic to drive together;… …   From formal English to slang

  • la — ab·cha·la·zal; ab·la·tion; ab·la·ti·val; ac·an·thel·la; acan·tho·ceph·a·la; ac·cep·ti·la·tion; ac·cu·mu·la·ble; ac·cu·mu·la·tion; ac·cu·mu·la·tive; ac·cu·mu·la·tor; aceph·a·la; ac·er·o·la; acet·y·la·tion; acet·y·la·tor; ach·a·la·sia;… …   English syllables

  • Compellable — Com*pel la*ble, a. Capable of being compelled or constrained. Blackstone. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • a — acar·a·pis; ac·a·ri·a·sis; ac·a·ri·a·sis; ac·a·ri·na; ac·a·ri·nar·i·um; ac·a·rine; ac·a·ri·nol·o·gy; ac·a·ri·no·sis; ac·a·ro·ce·cid·i·um; ac·a·roid; ac·a·rol·o·gist; ac·a·rol·o·gy; ac·a·ro·pho·bia; ac·a·rus; acat·a·lep·sy; acat·a·lex·is;… …   English syllables

  • ta — ab·lac·ta·tion; ab·sen·ta·tion; abu·ta; ac·cep·ta·tion; ac·cli·ma·ta·tion; ac·cred·i·ta·tion; ac·er·a·ta; ac·e·ta·tion; ac·e·ta·to ; ach·e·ta; achor·da·ta; acoe·lo·ma·ta; acra·ni·a·ta; ac·ro·tre·ta; ac·ta; ac·ti·no·my·ce·ta·ce·ae;… …   English syllables

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”