compellere

Compellere is a Latin verb of the third conjugation meaning to drive together, to push forward, and by extension to compel or force someone or something to a specified action. The word is built from the verb pellere, “to push,” with the prefix com- meaning “together,” yielding a nuance of bringing something to a close or to a required outcome.

Grammatical overview and principal parts: The standard principal parts are compellō, compellere, compulī, compulsus. This places compellere in the third conjugation with a stem that yields compell- across the present active system. In the present system the forms include: present active compellō, compellēs, compellit; imperfect compellēbam, compellēbās, compellēbat; future compellam, compellēs, compellēmus, compellētis, compellent. The passive uses compellor, compellēris, compellētur, compellimur, compellēminī, compellentur. The perfect passive participle is compulsus (with agreeing forms compulsus, compulsī, compulsum), and the supine is compulsum.

Usage and sense: In classical Latin compellere is transitive and typically takes a direct object in the accusative, often referring to a person or thing being driven or forced toward an action or outcome. It can express physical driving, urging, or compelling in a figurative sense such as compelling obedience or compliance. The action is often described with an accompanying infinitive or a substantive clause to specify the compelled act. Compellere is related to other verb roots in the pellere family, and is distinct from nearby verbs such as impellere (to drive on) and pellere (to push).

See also: impellere, pellere, coerce (via Latin equivalents), compulsion.