Enforcement
/ɪnˈfɔːrsmənt/
nounB2
Definition
Enforcement is the process of making people obey laws, rules, or agreements. It involves actions taken by authorities like police or officials to ensure that everyone follows the rules. Without enforcement, rules might be ignored or broken.
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⚡ See It in Action
The act of making rules or laws followed
- •The enforcement of traffic laws helps prevent accidents.
- •Police are responsible for the enforcement of criminal laws.
- •The government increased enforcement of environmental regulations.
The process of applying force or authority to ensure compliance
- •Strict enforcement of the curfew kept the streets empty at night.
- •Enforcement of safety standards is important in factories.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "enforcement" like "helping rules work"—rules are like instructions, and enforcement makes sure people listen and follow them.
- ✓Picture a traffic police officer stopping cars that break the speed limit to keep roads safe.
- ✓It's the feeling when you see someone get a ticket for parking in the wrong place—rules are being enforced.
- ✓Sounds like "in-FORCE-ment" → imagine a strong force pushing people to follow the rules.
- ✓Think of the story where a school principal makes sure students follow school rules by reminding or punishing those who don’t.
- ✓NOT like "agreement" (which is just a decision), enforcement is about making that decision happen in real life.
- ✓NOT like "suggestion" (people can ignore suggestions), enforcement means people must obey.
- ✓NOT like "encouragement" (which is friendly support), enforcement can be strict or firm to make rules work.
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Implementation: the act of putting a plan or law into action (Use when focusing on starting rules, not just making sure they are followed)
- •Regulation: a rule or law made by authority (Use when talking about the rule itself, not the act of enforcing)
- •Control: managing or directing something (Use when the focus is on managing rather than forcing obedience)
- •Policing: the act of watching and making sure rules are followed (Use when referring to enforcement done by police or similar authorities)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: "en-" (a prefix meaning 'to cause to') + "force" (power or strength) + "-ment" (a suffix that turns a verb into a noun meaning 'the action or result of')
- •Etymology: From Latin roots, "force" comes from Latin "fortis" meaning strong; "enforcement" means the action of making strong or putting force into something
- •Historical development: Originally used to describe applying force or power to make something happen, now mostly used for making laws or rules obeyed
- •Modern usage: Commonly used in legal, government, and organizational contexts to describe the act of making sure rules or laws are followed
💭 Reflect & Connect
•How does enforcement affect the way people behave in society or groups?
•Can enforcement be done in a way that feels fair and respectful? How?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.Enforcement of the new law was necessary because many people ___ the old rules.
2.When enforcement is strict, people ___ more likely to follow the rules.
3.Unlike suggestions, enforcement means that people ___ obey the rules.
4.The enforcement of safety rules in the factory helped reduce ___ accidents.
5.Police officers are responsible for the enforcement ___ laws.
6.Sometimes enforcement involves ___ consequences for breaking rules.
7.If enforcement is weak, people might ___ the rules without fear.