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enforcement

UK/ɪnˈfɔːsm(ə)nt/US/ɪnˈfoɹsm(ə)nt/
nounC1Common in everyday speech and writing · #3,149 of 15,258leans written

Enforcement is making sure a rule is actually obeyed. Law enforcement, enforcement action, weak enforcement.

A rule without it is advice, which is the standing complaint about regulations that exist and are never applied — the deterrent depends on the chance of being caught rather than on the penalty. Law enforcement is the American collective term for the police. Note enforce, from the French for putting force into.

National Park Service · Public domain

Definitions of enforcement

  1. 1nounenforcementMaking sure a rule is actually obeyed.C1

    “The new speed limits won't work without proper enforcement.”

enforcement is an applying of rules.

Remember it

enFORCEment → putting FORCE behind the rule

Making sure the rule is obeyed, with force behind it if it comes to that.

hooks ontoforce

Where it comes from

Old French enforcement comes from enforcer, to put force into, from force, from Latin fortis, strong.

  1. Old French

    enforcement

  2. English, today

    enforcement

From Old French enforcement, see enforce + ment.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practised in Word Building

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enforcement in the wild

  • Throughout the world, law enforcement are also associated with protecting the public, life, property, and keeping the peace in society.

    Law enforcement

  • The concept of law enforcement dates back to ancient times, and forms of law enforcement and police have existed in various forms across many human societies.

    Law enforcement

  • Law enforcement is only part of policing activity.

    Police

  • The United States Marshals Service (USMS) is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Justice.

    United States Marshals Service

  • The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S.

    Drug Enforcement Administration

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From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.

Related words

  • enforce