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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Inforce, Infors(e, v. [ME. infors (c 1460), inforce, var. of Enforce, -fors.]

1. tr. To make stronger, to strengthen. 1375 Barb. iv. 65.
Thai … inforsit the castell sua, Thame thocht that na strinth mycht it ta 1429 Acts II. 3/2.
Gif ony disobeyis till infors the kyng aganis notour rebellouris aganis his persone ?1438 Alex. ii. 9264.
His trew men At thair meiting inforsit the fecht 1513 Doug. i. ii. 31.
Infors thi wyndis, sink all thair schippis in feir 1506 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I. 51.
To summond thar witnes … til inforce & preiwe thar allegeance … to the informacioun of the assis 15.. Clar. v. 2840.
Clariodus … had diverse mariagis, For to inforce with Irland his linagis

2. a. refl. To exert oneself. 1513 Doug. viii. iv. 121.
Hercules it [a rock] smytis with a mychty towk, … Inforsyng hym to welt it our the bra Ib. x. vii. 176.
Full douchtely Pallas … Inforcis hym to greif hys fays

b. intr. To use force or energy, to strive. 1513 Doug. v. i. 37.
We may nocht stryve nor infors sa fast Agane the storm Ib. v. iv. 93.
The marynaris … with lang bolmys of tre … Inforcis of to schowyn, the schyp to save Ib. xii. xii. 215.
As he brymly thus inforcis fast To draw the speir

3. tr. To constrain, compel, force. 1533 Bell. Livy II. 10/18.
Lamentand … the necessite that inforsit the handis of the fader in his douchteris slauchter a1568 Scott xvi. 9.
Was never wicht Wald sa infors his mynd … To lufe and serf his lady c1590 Fowler I. 239/9.
The heavens … Inforced death to stryke hir with his lance Id. II. 28/4.
Being inforcit be his importune requeist 1607 Highland P. III. 105.
May it pleis your Maiestie to apardoune my importunitie, being inforsid thairto 1641 Acts V. 503/1.
The said John Gordone … inforced the said Williame to give band to him 1678 Mackenzie Laws & C. ii. xxiv. § 3.
The same impulse would likewise have inforced him to confess the truth