Forçaram

Forçaram is the third-person plural pretérito perfeito do indicativo form of the Portuguese verb forçar, meaning "they forced" in English. It is used to describe actions in the past where force, pressure, or coercion was applied, either physically or figuratively. In Brazilian Portuguese, the form also appears with the pronoun vocês (so you all forced), though the main subject is typically eles/elas.

Usage and nuances: Forçar can refer to literal physical force (forcing an entry, forcing a door) as well as coercion or insistence to make someone do something. The tense conveys completion in the past. The phrase forçar a barra, an idiom commonly used in both Brazilian and European Portuguese, means to push the limits or to go beyond reasonable boundaries.

Examples:

- Eles forçaram a entrada no prédio. (They forced their way into the building.)

- O empresário forçou a porta para finalmente entrar. (The businessman forced the door to enter.)

- Eles forçaram a barra para obter aprovação, mesmo sem cumprir todas as regras. (They pushed the limits to obtain approval.)

Etymology: Forçar derives from the noun força (force) and the verb-forming suffix -ar. The term shares its core meaning with related Romance languages that express the idea of applying force or compulsion.

See also: forçar, força, força de vontade, forçar a barra.