enforce
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
to make sure that a law or rule is obeyed by everyone.
to compel obedience to a law, regulation, or command. Transitive — requires a direct object such as 'law', 'rule', or 'policy'.
Simple“The local government decided to enforce the new parking rules more strictly.”
In context“Regulatory bodies must have the necessary resources to enforce environmental standards effectively across the industrial sector.”
UsageCommonly used with objects like 'law', 'rule', 'regulation', 'policy', or 'ban'.
PitfallThe police enforced to the new speed limit. The police enforced the new speed limit.Enforce is a transitive verb; it takes a direct object without a preposition.
- 02 C1 Advanced
to force a particular situation or action to happen.
to impose a condition or to ensure a particular outcome through the exercise of authority.
Simple“The teacher had to enforce a period of silence so the students could focus.”
In context“The treaty was designed to enforce a lasting peace between the two warring factions by establishing a neutral buffer zone.”
UsageOften used when an authority figure requires a specific behavior or state of affairs.
Usage enforce rules
“There are less and less of us about." The council said it had a legal duty to investigate noise complaints and it had a duty to enforce the rules.”
“But in the last decade, he says, both the police and Trading Standards - a body enforcing consumer protection laws - have been squeezed.”
From Middle English enforcen, from Old French enforcier, from Late Latin infortiāre, from in- + fortis (“strong”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.