semiforce

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verb

To force a partner's hand conditionally

OriginEnglish force ← Latin sēmi- ← Proto-Indo-European *sēmi →
Scrabble 16
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Meanings

verbsemiforce (third-person singular simple present semiforces, present participle semiforcing, simple past and past participle semiforced)

present singular third person semiforces · participle present semiforcing · participle past semiforced · past semiforced · alternative semi-force

  1. bridgeTo force a partner's hand conditionally

    After North opened one spade, South responded one no-trump, semiforcing.

    2009 January 15, Phillip Alder, “Scrutinizing the Dummy to Develop the Defense”, Bridge, in New York Times

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*sem-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*sēmi
  3. Latinsēmi-
  4. Englishsemi-
  5. Englishforce
  6. Englishsemiforce

From semi- + force.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

semiforce. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/semiforce

MLA

“semiforce.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/semiforce. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “semiforce,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/semiforce.

Source: semiforce on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.