Function and Force

noun

• Mathematics) a mathematical relation such that each element of a given set (the domain of the function) is associated with an element of another set (the range of the function. ()
  • synonyms: mathematical function, single-valued function, map, mapping
• What something is used for.
  • usage: "the function of an auger is to bore holes"; "ballet is beautiful but what use is it"
  • synonyms: purpose, role, use
• The actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group.
  • usage: "the function of a teacher"; "the government must do its part"; "play its role"
  • synonyms: office, part, role
• A relation such that one thing is dependent on another.
  • usage: "height is a function of age"; "price is a function of supply and demand"
• A formal or official social gathering or ceremony.
  • usage: "it was a black-tie function"
• A vaguely specified social event.
  • usage: "the party was quite an affair"; "an occasion arranged to honor the president"; "a seemingly endless round of social functions"
  • synonyms: affair, occasion, social occasion, social function
• A set sequence of steps, part of larger computer program.
  • synonyms: routine, subroutine, subprogram, procedure

verb

• Perform as expected when applied.
  • usage: "The washing machine won't go unless it's plugged in"; "Does this old car still run well"; "This old radio doesn't work anymore"
  • synonyms: work, operate, go, run
• Serve a purpose, role, or function.
  • usage: "The tree stump serves as a table"; "The female students served as a control group"; "This table would serve very well"; "His freedom served him well"; "The table functions as a desk"
  • synonyms: serve
• Perform duties attached to a particular office or place or function.
  • usage: "His wife officiated as his private secretary"
  • synonyms: officiate

• (v.i.) Alternative of Functionate.
• (n.) The course of action which peculiarly pertains to any public officer in church or state; the activity appropriate to any business or profession.
• (n.) A quantity so connected with another quantity, that if any alteration be made in the latter there will be a consequent alteration in the former. Each quantity is said to be a function of the other. Thus, the circumference of a circle is a function of the diameter. If x be a symbol to which different numerical values can be assigned, such expressions as x2, 3x, Log. x, and Sin. x, are all functions of x.
• (n.) The act of executing or performing any duty, office or calling; per formance.
• (n.) The appropriate action of any special organ or part of an animal or vegetable organism; as, the function of the heart or the limbs; the function of leaves, sap, roots, etc.; life is the sum of the functions of the various organs and parts of the body.
• (n.) The natural or assigned action of any power or faculty, as of the soul or of the intellect; the exertion of an energy of some determinate kind.
• (n.) A public or social ceremony or gathering; a festivity or entertainment, especially one somewhat formal.
• (n.) A religious ceremony, especially one particularly impressive and elaborate.

noun

• A powerful effect or influence.
  • usage: "the force of his eloquence easily persuaded them"
• Physics) the influence that produces a change in a physical quantity. (
  • usage: "force equals mass times acceleration"
• Physical energy or intensity.
  • usage: "he hit with all the force he could muster"; "it was destroyed by the strength of the gale"; "a government has not the vitality and forcefulness of a living man"
  • synonyms: forcefulness, strength
• Group of people willing to obey orders.
  • usage: "a public force is necessary to give security to the rights of citizens"
  • synonyms: personnel
• A unit that is part of some military service.
  • usage: "he sent Caesar a force of six thousand men"
  • synonyms: military unit, military force, military group
• An act of aggression (as one against a person who resists. )
  • usage: "he may accomplish by craft in the long run what he cannot do by force and violence in the short one"
  • synonyms: violence
• One possessing or exercising power or influence or authority.
  • usage: "the mysterious presence of an evil power"; "may the force be with you"; "the forces of evil"
  • synonyms: power
• A group of people having the power of effective action.
  • usage: "he joined forces with a band of adventurers"
• Of a law. ( having legal validity)
  • usage: "the law is still in effect"
  • synonyms: effect
• A putout of a base runner who is required to run; the putout is accomplished by holding the ball while touching the base to which the runner must advance before the runner reaches that base.
  • usage: "the shortstop got the runner at second on a force"
  • synonyms: force out, force-out, force play

verb

• (v.) ()
  • synonyms: coerce, hale, squeeze, pressure
• Urge or force (a person) to an action; constrain or motivate.
  • synonyms: impel
• (v.) ()
  • synonyms: push
• Impose urgently, importunately, or inexorably.
  • usage: "She forced her diet fads on him"
  • synonyms: thrust
• Squeeze like a wedge into a tight space.
  • usage: "I squeezed myself into the corner"
  • synonyms: wedge, squeeze
• Force into or from an action or state, either physically or metaphorically.
  • usage: "She rammed her mind into focus"; "He drives me mad"
  • synonyms: drive, ram
• Cause to move by pulling.
  • usage: "draw a wagon"; "pull a sled"
  • synonyms: pull, draw
• Do forcibly; exert force.
  • usage: "Don't force it"
• Take by force.
  • usage: "Storm the fort"
  • synonyms: storm

• (n.) To compel, as by strength of evidence; as, to force conviction on the mind.
• (n.) A waterfall; a cascade.
• (n.) To put in force; to cause to be executed; to make binding; to enforce.
• (n.) Any action between two bodies which changes or tends to change, their relative condition as to rest or motion; or, more generally, which changes or tends to change, any physical relation between them, whether mechanical, thermal, chemical, electrical, magnetic or of any other kind; as, the force of gravity; cohesive force; centrifugal force.
• (n.) To allow the force of; to value; to care for.
• (n.) Power exerted against will or consent; compulsory power; violence; coercion.
• (v.i.) To make a difficult matter of anything; to labor; to hesitate; hence, to force of, to make much account of; to regard.
• (n.) To compel (an adversary or partner) to trump a trick by leading a suit of which he has none.
• (n.) Strength or power for war; hence, a body of land or naval combatants, with their appurtenances, ready for action; -- an armament; troops; warlike array; -- often in the plural; hence, a body of men prepared for action in other ways; as, the laboring force of a plantation.
• (n.) To impel, drive, wrest, extort, get, etc., by main strength or violence; -- with a following adverb, as along, away, from, into, through, out, etc.
• (n.) To constrain to do or to forbear, by the exertion of a power not resistible; to compel by physical, moral or intellectual means; to coerce; as, masters force slaves to labor.
• (n.) To do violence to; to overpower or to compel by violence to one;s will; especially, to ravish; to violate; to commit rape upon.
• (v.i.) To use violence; to make violent effort; to strive; to endeavor.
• (n.) Validity; efficacy.
• (n.) To obtain or win by strength; to take by violence or struggle; specifically, to capture by assault; to storm, as a fortress.
• (v.i.) To be of force, importance or weight; to matter.
• (n.) Strength or energy of body or mind; active power; vigor; might; often, an unusual degree of strength or energy; capacity of exercising an influence or producing an effect; especially, power to persuade or convince or impose obligation; pertinency; validity; special signification; as, the force of an appeal, an argument, a contract or a term.
• (n.) To provide with forces; to reenforce; to strengthen by soldiers; to man; to garrison.
• (v.t.) To stuff; to lard; to farce.
• (n.) To exert to the utmost; to urge; hence, to strain; to urge to excessive, unnatural or untimely action; to produce by unnatural effort; as, to force a consient or metaphor; to force a laugh; to force fruits.
• (n.) Strength or power exercised without law or contrary to law, upon persons or things; violence.

(DoD) An aggregation of military personnel, weapon systems, equipment, and necessary support, or combination thereof.
(DoD) A major subdivision of a fleet.