French Conversation · Level 104
60 words
French word
astreindre
Pronunciation
IPA/astʁɛ̃dʁ/
Meaning
- verbforce
Example
Il m'astreint à finir ce travail ce soir.
He forces me to finish this work tonight.
More examples
Le contrat m'astreint à travailler le week-end.
The contract requires me to work on the weekend.
Core concept
A tight strap around a person leaves only one permitted course of action.
Similar words
obliger: To require someone to perform a particular action.
forcer: To make someone perform an action through physical force or intense pressure.
contraindre: To drive someone into taking an action through pressure or circumstances.
imposer: To impose a duty or burden through authority or rules.
Definition in French
Imposer une obligation ou une contrainte qui limite la liberté d'agir d'une personne.
Word origin
Astreindre descends from Latin astringere, formed with ad- and stringere, 'to tighten', through Old French forms related to estreindre.
Usage tips
- The construction is astreindre quelqu'un à + infinitive, with the constrained person as the direct object and the required action after à.