Meaning of Unforceable

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Hi

I met the word unforceable being used only for laws and security locks and still have rather vague general understanding of its meaning.
Could you define it for me?

un-force-able

Would the opposite be ‘enforceable’?

2

Hi Tamara,

I don’t think I’ve come across unforceable. The word I know is unenforceable, which, when referring to laws or contracts, means cannot be carried through or put into practice.

Alan

3

Hi Alan

I met unforceable - exactly.
In particular, you can find in “The Million Dollar Bond Robbery” by Cristie :slight_smile: where it is used by a pure Brit in regards to a Hubbs lock.

(Unfortunately, another my example (for a law) is not accesible in public writing :frowning: )

Tamara

4

Hi Tamara

The word unforceable in connection with a lock is logical. It would mean the lock can’t be opened by force.

In connection with law, could the word unforceable have been simply a typo? In other words, was the word enforceable possibly intended?

By the way, are you familiar with the other spelling? bforcible[/b] :wink:

Amy

5

Hi Amy

unforcible? No, I’ve never heard or read the word…

Now my dictionary gave me the meaning of ‘forcible’… yes… maybe, you’re right. It’s still difficult for me to deal with (possible) typos in the language I don’t know well enough…

Google formally has ‘admitted’ unforceable law… and even gave ‘to enforce an unforceable law’…

So… I don’t know…
Will try to find, think and understand a bit more about that.

Thank you for your response!
Tamara

6

Hi Tamara

I also checked Ms Google for “unforceable law”, but there were only 17 results. :lol: And the results looked more like typos to me than “intended spelling”.

Amy

7

Amy,
now I’ve managed to find (among 733 links given for unforceable :)) the context that is of (at?) similar level of technicality and formality as the text I had been (and still am) interested to decode :slight_smile:
and where ‘unforceable’ was first wrongly used for policy

lwn.net/Articles/60786/
After the note “Typo: Unforceable should be Unenforceable.” it has been corrected.

Alan and you - both - are right. Concerning policy/laws and a typo.

OK.
Thank you.
Tamara