en·force

(ĕn-fôrs′)

tr.v. en·forced, en·forc·ing, en·forc·es

1. To compel observance of or obedience to: enforce a law.

2. To impose (a kind of behavior, for example): enforce military discipline.

3. To give force to; reinforce: "enforces its plea with a description of the pains of hell" (Albert C. Baugh).

[Middle English enforcen, from Old French enforcier, to exert force, compel, and from enforcir, to strengthen : en-, causative pref.; see en-¹ + force, strength; see force.]

en·force′a·bil′i·ty n.

en·force′a·ble adj.

en·force′ment n.

en·forc′er n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

enforcement - the act of enforcing; ensuring observance of or obedience to

social control - control exerted (actively or passively) by group action

coercion - the act of compelling by force of authority

carrying out, implementation, execution - the act of accomplishing some aim or executing some order; "the agency was created for the implementation of the policy"

imposition, infliction - the act of imposing something (as a tax or an embargo)

law enforcement - ensuring obedience to the laws

enforcement

noun

1. administration, carrying out, application, prosecution, execution, implementation, reinforcement, fulfilment the adequate enforcement of the law

2. imposition, requirement, obligation, insistence, exaction the stricter enforcement of speed limits for vehicles

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

إلْزام، فَرْض

håndhævelse

Erzwingung

aplicación ejecución

mise en application

kikényszerítés

framfylgd laga, fullnusta dóms; òvingun

costrizione

håndheving innskjerping

uygulama

实施

enforcement

[ɪnˈfɔːsmənt] N [of law] → aplicación f; [of sentence] → ejecución f
law enforcement agency → organismo m de seguridad del Estado

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

enforcement

[ɪnˈfɔː^rsmənt] n [law, rule] → application f
see also law enforcement

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

enforcement

n (of law, policy, ruling) → Durchführung f; (of obedience) → Erzwingung f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

enforcement

[ɪnˈfɔːsmənt] n (of discipline) → imposizione f

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

enforce

(inˈfoːs) verb

to cause (a law, a command, one's own will etc) to be carried out. There is a law against dropping litter but it is rarely enforced.

enˈforcement noun

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

The Communists fight for the attainment of the immediate aims, for the enforcement of the momentary interests of the working class; but in the movement of the present, they also represent and take care of the future of that movement.

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Thus the legislatures, courts, and magistrates, of the respective members, will be incorporated into the operations of the national government AS FAR AS ITS JUST AND CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY EXTENDS; and will be rendered auxiliary to the enforcement of its laws.[1] Any man who will pursue, by his own reflections, the consequences of this situation, will perceive that there is good ground to calculate upon a regular and peaceable execution of the laws of the Union, if its powers are administered with a common share of prudence.

View in context

Elinor, for her sister's sake, could not press the subject farther, and she hoped it was not required of her for Willoughby's; since, though Marianne might lose much, he could gain very little by the enforcement of the real truth.

View in context

And might it not be well at the same time to provide by law for the enforcement of that clause in the Constitution which guarantees that "the citizen of each State shall be entitled to all privileged and immunities of citizens in the several States?"

View in context

That initial stage of the dispute which consisted in the narration of the case and the enforcement of Mr.

View in context

And when the clamor of the public led to an investigation into these conditions, and the mayor of the city was forced to order the enforcement of the law, the packers got a judge to issue an injunction forbidding him to do it!

View in context

As I passed over he moved back, and his exclamation of horror, "Gott in Himmel!" needed no enforcement from his agonized face.

View in context

What, then, is known about offenders who have assaulted or killed law enforcement officers?

The deadly mix: officers, offenders, and the circumstances that bring them together

On June 3, 2005, Enforcement Counsel filed a Motion for Entry of an Order of Default against Respondent.

Final enforcement decisions issued by the Board of Governors

Now, as part of the registration process, the PCAOB will gather information about the nation's accounting firms and make it available for use in subsequent enforcement efforts of the PCAOB and the SEC.

What's ahead in enforcement? By looking at NASD and stock exchange regulation, firms can see what might unfold regarding their own

The transformation of the former Soviet bloc, the difficulties of environmental lawmaking and law enforcement, and the rise of organized crime in many former communist economies have also contributed to the problem.

The growth and control of international environmental crime

Understanding a jurisdiction's industrial/economic base; its dependence upon neighboring jurisdictions; its transportation system; its economic dependence on nonresidents (such as tourists and convention attendees); its proximity to military installations, correctional facilities, etc., all contribute to accurately gauging and interpreting the crime known to and reported by law enforcement.

Crime factors