Definition

Verb: 1. To feed (a person or animal) against their will: To make someone or something ingest food or nourishment when they are unwilling or unable to do so voluntarily. 2. To impose something (e.g., information, ideas) on someone in an overwhelming or relentless manner: To compel someone to accept or consume something, typically ideas or data, in large, forced quantities.

Usage Examples

• The veterinarians had to force-feed the sick elephant to keep it alive.
• The court ruled that prison authorities could not force-feed the hunger striker.
• Some educational systems force-feed students facts without encouraging critical thinking.
• The 24-hour news cycle force-feeds us information, leaving little time for reflection.

Advanced Usage

• Force-feeding as a noun (gerund): The act or practice of feeding someone against their will.
  • The force-feeding of prisoners is a controversial ethical issue.
• Used figuratively to describe overwhelming marketing or media.
  • The company is force-feeding the market with advertisements for its new product.

Variants and Related Words

• Force-fed (verb, past tense and past participle): Describes the action that has been completed.
  • The goose was force-fed to produce foie gras.
• Force-feed (noun, mechanical): A less common noun form referring to a mechanical lubrication system. (Note: This is a specialized compound term distinct from the primary verb definition).
  • The engine uses a force-feed oil system.

Synonyms

• Compel to eat
• Tube-feed (more specific, medical)
• Cram (figurative, for information)
• Impose upon

Related Phrasal Verbs/Constructions

• To force something down someone's throat: An idiomatic expression closely related to the figurative meaning, meaning to impose an idea or opinion on someone in an aggressive, unwelcome way.
  • He's always trying to force his political views down everyone's throat.

Related Idioms

• To spoon-feed: To provide information or help in such a simple, easy way that it requires no effort from the receiver. This is less aggressive than "force-feed" but shares the concept of controlling the intake.
  • The teacher refused to spoon-feed the answers to the students.

Noun

1. mechanical system of lubricating internal combustion engines in which a pump forces oil into the engine bearings