| 释义 |
▪ I. † aˈfforce, adv. Obs.
[for of force: see force.]
Of necessity; by compulsion or constraint; perforce.
1399Langl. Rich. Redeless iv. 21 No þing y-lafte but þe bare baggis, Þan ffelle it a-fforse to ffille hem aȝeyne.
▪ II. afforce, v.|əˈfɔəs|
Also 3–6 aforce, 4 aforse, afforse.
[a. OFr. aforce-r, in one of its senses a variant of OFr. efforce-r, earlier esforce-r, esforcie-r:—late L. exfortiā-re, f. ex out + late L. fortiā-re to make strong, f. forti-s strong; in the other perh. a distinct formation on L. ad to + fortiāre. The med.L. afforciāre seems to be formed on the Fr.]
I. To apply force (= Fr. efforcer).
†1. To apply force to; to force, to compel. Obs.
c1300K. Alis. 789 Faste he sat, and huld the reyne..And aforced hit [the colt] by streynthe. c1330Arth. & Merlin 3285 Arthour aforced him to deie.
†b. To force, to ravish, to violate. Obs.
c1330Arth. & Merlin 2360 He hath me of vilanie besought, Me to aforce is in his thought.
†2. refl. To force or strengthen oneself (to do a thing); to exert oneself, to do one's best, to try. (OFr. s'aforcer, mod. s'efforcer.) Obs.
1297R. Glouc. 121 And heo a forcede hom þe more, þe heþene a way to dryue. c1340Hampole Pr. Treat. (1866) 8 Deuells þat afforces tham to reue fra vs þe hony of poure lyfe and of grace. c1400Destr. Troy i. 228 Þat wold doutles be done..wold þu afforce þe þerfore. Ibid. xxvii. 11129 Thai afforset hom felly..The vilany to venge. a1528Skelton Magnificence 257 Herein I wyll aforce me to show you my mynde.
†3. trans. To endeavour, attempt, or try. Obs.
1523Skelton Garl. Laurel 818 Ye must nedis afforce it by pretence of your professioun unto umanyte. a1528― Bowge of Crt. 17, I was sore moued to aforce the same.
II. To add force (? properly OFr. aforcer).
†4. To add force to; to strengthen, fortify, reinforce. Obs.
c1400Destr. Troy xv. 6593 Then Menesteus..afforsit hys frekys to þe fight harde. c1430Lydg. Bochas (1554) ii. xvii. 66/1 And tafforce them, let workmen vndertake Square bastiles and bulwarkes to make.
5. Eng. Const. Hist. To reinforce or strengthen a deliberative body by the addition of new members; as a jury by skilled assessors, or persons acquainted with the facts. [In this sense med.L. afforciāre is found in contemporary records; see Blount: ‘Afforcietur assisa, let the Witnesses be encreased,’ (rather, ‘Let the Assise or bench be reinforced or afforced’).]
1818Hallam Middle Ages (1872) II. 399 It was the practice to afforce the jury. 1870Stubbs Sel. Charters Introd. 24 The jurors are at first witnesses of the fact; as business increases they are, under Edward I, afforced by the addition of persons better acquainted with the matter; a further step separates these afforcing jurors from the original twelve. |