dwingen

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch dwingen, from Old Dutch *thwingan, from Proto-West Germanic *þwingan, from Proto-Germanic *þwinhaną, *þwinganą.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdʋɪŋə(n)/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: dwin‧gen
• Rhymes: -ɪŋən

Verb

dwingen

1. (transitive) to force, coerce (someone)

   Synonym: forceren

   De overvallers probeerden de winkelbediende te dwingen de kluis te openen.

   The robbers tried to force the store clerk to open the safe.

   Ik zal je niet dwingen om te komen, maar ik zou het op prijs stellen.

   I won't force you to come, but I would appreciate it.

2. (transitive) to constrain, enforce, cause inevitably

   De wet kan bedrijven dwingen milieuvriendelijke maatregelen te nemen.

   The law can constrain companies to take environmentally friendly measures.

   De omstandigheden dwongen ons om een beslissing te nemen.

   The circumstances enforced us to make a decision.

   De veranderingen in de markt dwingen het bedrijf om zich aan te passen.

   The market changes cause inevitably the company to adapt.

3. (transitive) to insist forcefully

Inflection

Conjugation of dwingen (strong class 3a)
infinitive	dwingen
past singular	dwong
past participle	gedwongen
infinitive	dwingen
gerund	dwingen n
	present tense	past tense
1st person singular	dwing	dwong
2nd person sing. (jij)	dwingt	dwong
2nd person sing. (u)	dwingt	dwong
2nd person sing. (gij)	dwingt	dwongt
3rd person singular	dwingt	dwong
plural	dwingen	dwongen
subjunctive sing.1	dwinge	dwonge
subjunctive plur.1	dwingen	dwongen
imperative sing.	dwing
imperative plur.1	dwingt
participles	dwingend	gedwongen
1) Archaic.

Derived terms

• dwang
• dwingeland
• dwingend
• dwingerig
• afdwingen
• bedwingen
• ongedwongen

Descendants

• Afrikaans: dwing
• Negerhollands: twing, dwing
• → Aukan: dwengi
• → Papiamentu: dwinge (dated)
• → Sranan Tongo: dwengi, dwingi
  • → Caribbean Javanese: dwéngi

Anagrams

• wending

Low German

Etymology

From Middle Low German dwingen, from Old Saxon *thwingan, from Proto-West Germanic *þwingan.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdvɪŋən/, [ˈdʋɪŋən], [ˈdʋɪŋŋ̩]

Verb

dwingen (third-person singular simple present dwingt, past tense dwung, past participle dwungen, auxiliary verb hebben)

1. (transitive or reflexive) to force; to compel; to make (someone do something)
2. (intransitive, with "to ...") to necessitate; to call for

Conjugation

Conjugation of dwingen (class 3 strong verb)

infinitive	dwingen
indicative	present	preterite
1st person singular	dwing	dwung
2nd person singular	dwings(t)	dwungs(t)
3rd person singular	dwing(t)	dwung
plural	dwingt, dwingen	dwungen
imperative	present	—
singular	dwing
plural	dwingt
participle	present	past
	dwingen	(e)dwungen, gedwungen
Note: This conjugation is one of many; neither its grammar nor spelling apply to all dialects.

Middle Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch *thwingan

Verb

dwingen

1. to press tight, to squeeze, to pinch
2. to hurt, to torment
3. to pressure (mentally)
4. to subdue, to impose one's will on, to have under one's control
5. to force, to compel

Inflection

Strong class 3
Infinitive	dwingen
3rd sg. past	dwanc
3rd pl. past	dwongen
Past participle	gedwongen
Infinitive	dwingen
In genitive	dwingens
In dative	dwingene
Indicative	Present	Past
1st singular	dwinge	dwanc
2nd singular	dwincs, dwinges	dwoncs, dwonges
3rd singular	dwinct, dwinget	dwanc
1st plural	dwingen	dwongen
2nd plural	dwinct, dwinget	dwonct, dwonget
3rd plural	dwingen	dwongen
Subjunctive	Present	Past
1st singular	dwinge	dwonge
2nd singular	dwincs, dwinges	dwonges
3rd singular	dwinge	dwonge
1st plural	dwingen	dwongen
2nd plural	dwinct, dwinget	dwonget
3rd plural	dwingen	dwongen
Imperative	Present
Singular	dwinc, dwinge
Plural	dwinct, dwinget
	Present	Past
Participle	dwingende	gedwongen

Descendants

• Dutch: dwingen
• Limburgish: dwinge

Further reading

• “dwinghen”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “dwingen”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN