---
title: compel — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «compel» in the school dictionary: To force someone to do something, by law, rules or strong pressure (be compelled to). Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# compel

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** someone, law, Rain, He, one, storm · **What happens:** force, do, compel, cause, wear, cancel · **To what, where:** someone, something, strong pressure, strong feeling, attention, drivers · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«compel» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [compel in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/compel.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: formal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To force someone to do something, by law, rules or strong pressure (be compelled to).

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:compel:m1:1
# text = To force someone to do something, by law, rules or strong pressure (be compelled to).
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	force	force	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
6	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
8	by	by	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	law	law	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	rules	rule	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	conj	_	_
12	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	14	cc	_	_
13	strong	strong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	14	amod	_	_
14	pressure	pressure	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	11	conj	_	_
15	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	17	aux:pass	_	_
17	compelled	compel	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	14	acl	_	_
18	to	to	ADP	IN	_	17	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	17	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
20	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **force** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | vn urge-58.1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent someone=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **do** | to-infinitive | someone *not said here* | something |  |  |  | by law | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Eventuality |
| 3 | **compel** | infinitive · passive |  | strong pressure *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn compel-59.1-1 «NP V NP» |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To cause a strong feeling or reaction (compel attention).

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:compel:m2:1
# text = To cause a strong feeling or reaction (compel attention).
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	cause	cause	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	strong	strong	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	feeling	feeling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	7	cc	_	_
7	reaction	reaction	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	conj	_	_
8	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	compel	compel	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	2	parataxis	_	_
10	attention	attention	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **cause** | to-infinitive |  | a strong feeling or reaction |  |  |  |  | vn engender-27.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Precondition feeling=Patient |
| 2 | **compel** | infinitive |  | attention |  |  |  |  | vn compel-59.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent attention=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The law compels drivers to wear seatbelts.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:compel:x1:1
# text = The law compels drivers to wear seatbelts.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	law	law	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	compels	compel	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	drivers	driver	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	wear	wear	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
7	seatbelts	seatbelt	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **compel** | present | the law | drivers |  |  |  |  | vn compel-59.1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent driver=Patient clause=Result |
| 2 | **wear** | to-infinitive | the law *not said here* | seatbelts |  |  |  |  | vn wipe\_manner-10.4.1-1 «NP V NP.source»: agent=Agent seatbelt=Source |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Rain compelled us to cancel the picnic.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:compel:x2:1
# text = Rain compelled us to cancel the picnic.
1	Rain	rain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	compelled	compel	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	obj	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	cancel	cancel	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	advcl	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	picnic	picnic	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **compel** | past | Rain | us |  |  |  |  | vn compel-59.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent we=Patient |
| 2 | **cancel** | to-infinitive | Rain *not said here* | the picnic |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He felt compelled to tell the truth.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:compel:x3:1
# text = He felt compelled to tell the truth.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	felt	feel	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	compelled	compel	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	xcomp	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	tell	tell	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	truth	truth	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **feel** | past | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn conjecture-29.5-2 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent clause=Theme |
| 2 | **compel** | participle | He *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn compel-59.1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Result |
| 3 | **tell** *speech: assert* | to-infinitive | He *not said here* | the truth |  |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent truth=Recipient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
No one can compel you to say something untrue.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:compel:x4:1
# text = No one can compel you to say something untrue.
1	No	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	2	det	_	_
2	one	one	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	compel	compel	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	advcl	_	_
8	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	obj	_	_
9	untrue	untrue	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **compel** | can | no one | you |  |  |  |  | vn compel-59.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent you=Patient |
| 2 | **say** *speech: assert* | to-infinitive | no one *not said here* | something |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V NP.topic»: agent=Agent something=Topic |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The storm compelled the ship to return.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:compel:x5:1
# text = The storm compelled the ship to return.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	storm	storm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	compelled	compel	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	ship	ship	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	return	return	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	acl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **compel** | past | the storm | the ship |  |  |  |  | vn compel-59.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent ship=Patient |
| 2 | **return** | to-infinitive | the storm *not said here* | the ship *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It was a compelling book I couldn't put down.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:compel:x6:1
# text = It was a compelling book I couldn't put down.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	compelling	compelling	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	book	book	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
7	could	could	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	9	advmod	_	_
9	put	put	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	acl:relcl	_	_
10	down	down	ADP	RP	_	9	compound:prt	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | It | a compelling book |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **not** **put down** | could | I | a compelling book *not said here* |  |  |  |  | vn invest-13.5.4-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent book=Goal |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
But it was no use; something stronger than himself compelled him to keep them there.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:compel:x7:1
# text = But it was no use; something stronger than himself compelled him to keep them there.
1	But	but	CCONJ	CC	_	5	cc	_	_
2	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
3	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	5	det	_	_
5	use	use	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	;	;	PUNCT	:	_	8	punct	_	_
7	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	8	obl:unmarked	_	_
8	stronger	strong	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	5	parataxis	_	_
9	than	than	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
10	himself	himself	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs|Reflex=Yes	11	nsubj	_	_
11	compelled	compel	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	advcl	_	_
12	him	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	11	obj	_	_
13	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
14	keep	keep	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	advcl	_	_
15	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	obj	_	_
16	there	there	ADV	RB	PronType=Dem	14	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | it | no use |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **compel** | past | himself *= he* | him *= he* |  |  |  |  | vn compel-59.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent he=Patient |
| 3 | **keep** | to-infinitive | himself *= he* *not said here* | them *= they* |  | there |  |  | vn keep-15.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Theme |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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