compulsion
An irrational need or irresistible urge to perform some action, often despite negative…An irrational need or irresistible urge to perform some action, often despite negative consequences.
» Love and song know no compulsion.
Liebe und Gesang kennt keinen Zwang.
Meaning
3 senses(countable, uncountable)An irrational need or irresistible urge to perform some action, often despite negative consequences.
During the basketball game, I had a sudden compulsion to have a smoke.
Zwang, Zwangneurose
позы́в, жела́ние, поры́вporýv
(countable, uncountable)The use of authority, influence, or other power to force (compel) a person or persons to act.
Zwang
принужде́ниеprinuždénije
(countable, uncountable)The lawful use of violence (i.e. by the administration).
принужде́ниеprinuždénije
- using force to cause something to occur
- an urge to do or say something that might be better left undone or unsaid
- an irrational motive for performing trivial or repetitive actions, even against your will
Examples
7 sentencesLove and song know no compulsion.
deLiebe und Gesang kennt keinen Zwang.
His loquaciousness is almost a compulsion.
He could not control his compulsion to kill.
Out of compulsion, I wrote an apology letter.
He was not sure he could fight the compulsion to run.
Translations
4 languagesBy meaning 2
By meaning 1
Origin
Borrowed from Middle French compulsion, from Late Latin compulsiō, from Latin compellere (Borrowed from Middle French compulsion, from Late Latin compulsiō, from Latin compellere (“to compel, coerce”); see compel.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: compulsions| Singular | compulsion |
|---|---|
| Plural | compulsions |
regular
Synonyms
3 synonyms- using force to cause something to occur:coercion
- an urge to do or say something that might be better left undone or unsaid:irresistible impulse
- an irrational motive for performing trivial or repetitive actions, even against your will:obsession
Word family
8 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable