Definition of compel
Etymology
From Middle English compellen, from Middle French compellir, from Latin compellere, itself from com- 'together' + pellere 'to drive'
Pronunciation
Verb
to compel (third-person singular simple present compels, present participle compelling, simple past and past participle compelled)
- (transitive, archaic) (literally) To drive together, round up
Sheep dogs masterly compell the herd.
- (transitive) To overpower; to subdue
* 1917, Upton Sinclair, King Coal, ch. 16,
She had one of those perfect faces, which irresistibly compel the soul of a man.
- (transitive) To force, constrain or coerce
Logic compells the wise, fools feel compelled by emotions instead
* 1600, William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, act 5, sc. 1,
Against my will, / As Pompey was, am I compell'd to set / Upon one battle all our liberties.
- (transitive) To exact, extort, (make) produce by force
* 1912, L. Frank Baum, Sky Island, ch. 14,
The Queen has nothing but the power to execute the laws, to adjust grievances and to compel order.
Further reading
To compel one to present information to a jury is done by order of a judge. If a judge believes the individual has information relevant to the cause, he can "force" that person to present that information or be subject to arrest for contempt of court.
Compellability
In the United States, the 5th Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees that defendants cannot be compelled in criminal proceedings against themselves.
In Australia, the Criminal Procedure Act establishes a similar protection for defendants, and also for their spouses and immediate family.
Compel also means to lure to do something.
References:
- Wiktionary. Published under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
|
