compulsion

English

Etymology

From Late Latin compulsiō, from Latin compellere (“to compel, coerce”); see compel.

Pronunciation

• enPR: kəm-pŭl'shən

Noun

compulsion (plural compulsions)

1. An irrational need to perform some action, often despite negative consequences.

   During the basketball game, I had a sudden compulsion to have a smoke.

2. The use of authority, influence, or other power to force (compel) a person or persons to act.
3. The lawful use of violence (i.e. by the administration).

Related terms

• compulsive
• compulsory

Translations

irrational need to perform some action

• Bulgarian: порив
• Czech: nutkání (cs) n
• Dutch: dwang (nl), drang (nl)
• Finnish: pakko (fi)

• Russian: (необъяснимый) позыв (ru) (pozyv) ((neobʺjasnímyj) pozýv) m, (иррациональное) желание (ru) (želanije) ((irracionálʹnoje) želánije) n, порыв (ru) (porýv) m 
• Spanish: compulsión (es) f

use of power to force a person to act

• Bulgarian: принуда (bg) (prinuda)
• Finnish: pakottaminen (fi)

• Georgian: იძულება (ka) (ijuleba)
• Russian: принуждение (ru) (prinuždénije) n 

lawful use of violence

• Bulgarian: принуда (bg) (prinuda)
• Finnish: pakkokeinot (fi) pl

• Russian: принуждение (ru) (prinuždénije) n 

External links

• compulsion in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• compulsion in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911