compel

compel (someone) to (do something)

To strongly encourage or pressure someone to do something. Threaten me all you want—you'll never compel me to be a traitor to my country! These scared little freshmen want to be cool, so we'll have no trouble compelling them to do whatever we want. Would you leave me alone? You're not gonna compel me to steal the test answers, OK?

See also: compel, to

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

compel someone to do something

to force someone to do something; to drive someone to so something. You can't compel me to do that. She compelled herself to try, even though she was ill.

See also: compel, to

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.