Co*erce" (?), v. t. [imp. &
p. p. Coerced (?); p. pr. & vb.
n. Coercing.] [L. coërcere; 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. 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.
