/fɔ:s ||; fɔrs/noun1 [U] physical strength or power 力；力量: The force of the explosion knocked them to the ground. 爆炸的威力把他们震倒在地。The police used force to break up the demonstration. 警察使用武力驱散了示威群众。
2 [U] power and influence 说服力；影响: the force of public opinion 舆论的威力
3 [C] a person or thing that has power or influence 有影响力的人或物: Britain is no longer a major force in international affairs. 在国际事务中，英国已不再举足轻重了。Julia has been the driving force behind the company's success. 朱莉娅一直是公司取得成功的推动力。
4 [C] a group of people who are trained for a particular purpose （接受训练执行特定职务的）部队，队伍: a highly trained workforce 训练有素的劳动队伍the police force 警察部队
5 (usually plural 通常用复数) the soldiers and weapons that an army, etc has 军队等的士兵及武器: the armed forces 武装力量
6 [C,U] (technical术语) a power that can cause change or movement 能够引起改变或移动的力: the force of gravity 万有引力magnetic/centrifugal force 磁力；离心力 ☞picture at hydraulic 见hydraulic插图
7 [C] [usu.sing] a measure of wind strength 风力等级: a force 9 gale 9级大风
bring sth/come into force to start using a new law, etc; to start being used 实施（新法规等）；开始生效:
The government want to bring new anti-pollution legislation into force next year. 政府有意在明年实施新的反污染法规。 force of habit if you do sth from or out of force of habit, you do it in a particular way because you have always done it that way in the past 习惯势力
in force 1 (used about people) in large numbers （指人）大批地: The police were present in force at the football match. 这场足球赛有大批警察在场维持秩序。
2 (used about a law, rule, etc) being used （指法律、规则等）施行中，已生效: The new speed limit is now in force. 新的车速限制已经生效。
join forces (with sb) to work together in order to achieve a shared goal 同…联合或合作（以便实现共同目标）