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Imposed vs Enforced - What's the difference?

imposed | enforced |

As verbs the difference between imposed and enforced

is that imposed is past tense of impose while enforced is past tense of enforce.

imposed

English

Verb

(head)
  • (impose)
  • *1948: , Address at Mechanics Hall in Boston
  • *:And if the people of other countries don't want communism, we don't want to see it imposed upon them against their will.
  • enforced

    English

    Verb

    (head)
  • (enforce)

  • enforce

    English

    Alternative forms

    * inforce (obsolete)

    Verb

    (enforc)
  • (obsolete) To strengthen (a castle, town etc.) with extra troops, fortifications etc.
  • (obsolete) To intensify, make stronger, add force to.
  • (obsolete, reflexive) To exert oneself, to try hard.
  • *, Bk.VII:
  • *:I pray you enforce youreselff at that justis that ye may be beste, for my love.
  • To give strength or force to; to affirm, to emphasize.
  • :The victim was able to enforce his evidence against the alleged perpetrator.
  • (archaic) To compel, oblige (someone or something); to force.
  • *, I.2.4.iv:
  • *:Uladislaus the Second, King of Poland, and Peter Dunnius, Earl of Shrinehad been hunting late, and were enforced to lodge in a poor cottage.
  • *1899 , E. OE. Somerville and Martin Ross, Some Experiences of an Irish R.M.'', Great Uncle McCarthy :
  • *:In a few minutes I was stealthily groping my way down my own staircase, with a box of matches in my hand, enforced by scientific curiosity, but none the less armed with a stick.
  • To keep up, impose or bring into effect something, not necessarily by force.
  • :The police are there to enforce the law.
  • (obsolete) To make or gain by force; to force.
  • :to enforce a passage
  • *Spenser
  • *:enforcing furious way
  • (obsolete) To put in motion or action by violence; to drive.
  • *Shakespeare
  • *:As swift as stones / Enforced from the old Assyrian slings.
  • (obsolete) To give force to; to strengthen; to invigorate; to urge with energy.
  • :to enforce arguments or requests
  • *Burke
  • *:enforcing sentiment of the thrust humanity
  • (obsolete) To urge; to ply hard; to lay much stress upon.
  • *Shakespeare
  • *:Enforce him with his envy to the people.
  • To prove; to evince.
  • :(Hooker)
  • Derived terms

    * enforcer * enforcement