from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Coercive \Co*er"cive\, a.
Serving or intended to coerce; having power to constrain. --
{Co*er"cive*ly}, adv. -- Co*er"cive*ness, n.
[1913 Webster]
Coercive power can only influence us to outward
practice. --Bp.
Warburton.
[1913 Webster]
{Coercive force} or {Coercitive force} (Magnetism), the power
or force which in iron or steel produces a slowness or
difficulty in imparting magnetism to it, and also
interposes an obstacle to the return of a bar to its
natural state when active magnetism has ceased. It plainly
depends on the molecular constitution of the metal.
--Nichol.
[1913 Webster]
The power of resisting magnetization or
demagnization is sometimes called coercive force.
--S. Thompson.
[1913 Webster]