different between coerce vs prescribe

English

Etymology

From Latin coercere (“to surround, encompass, restrain, control, curb”), from co- (“together”) + arcere (“to inclose, confine, keep off”); see arcade, arcane, ark.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ko???s/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /k?????s/
• Rhymes: -??(?)s

Verb

coerce (third-person singular simple present coerces, present participle coercing, simple past and past participle coerced)

1. (transitive) To restrain by force, especially by law or authority; to repress; to curb.
2. (transitive) To use force, threat, fraud, or intimidation in an attempt to compel one to act against their will.

3. (transitive, computing) To force an attribute, normally of a data type, to take on the attribute of another data type.

Synonyms

• compel
• bully
• dragoon

Derived terms

Translations

Further reading

• coerce in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• coerce in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Latin

Verb

coerc?

1. second-person singular present active imperative of coerce?

English

Alternative forms

• præscribe (archaic)

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin praescribere, from prae (“before”) and scribere (“to write”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p???sk?a?b/, /p???sk?a?b/
• (distinguished from proscribe) IPA^(key): /?p?i??sk?a?b/
• Rhymes: -a?b
• Homophone: proscribe (in some dialects)

Verb

prescribe (third-person singular simple present prescribes, present participle prescribing, simple past and past participle prescribed)

1. (medicine) To order (a drug or medical device) for use by a particular patient (under licensed authority).

2. To specify by writing as a required procedure or ritual; to lay down authoritatively as a guide, direction, or rule of action.
   • 1665, John Dryden, The Indian Emperour

     Let streams prescribe their fountains where to run.

Related terms

Derived terms

• deprescribe
• prescriber

Antonyms

• proscribe

Translations

Spanish

Verb

prescribe

1. Informal second-person singular (tú) affirmative imperative form of prescribir.
2. Formal second-person singular (usted) present indicative form of prescribir.
3. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted^?) present indicative form of prescribir.