subs. (colloquial).—The police; properly a body of men trained for action. For synonyms, see BEAK and COPPER.
1868. M. E. BRADDON, The Trail of the Serpent, bk. IV., ch. vi. ‘I should like to … bring a child up from the very cradle to the police detective line, to see whether I couldn’t make that ’ere child a ornament to the FORCE.’
1883. Daily Telegraphy, 5 April, p. 2, col. 1. But in all my experience of THE FORCE, I think I never saw a policeman’s eyes so expressive of gratitude.
TO FORCE THE VOUCHER, verb. phr. (turf).—It is customary for sporting tricksters to advertise selections and enclose vouchers (similar to those sent out by respectable commission agents) for double or treble the current odds. The correspondent is informed that, in consequence of early investments, the extra odds can be laid; a remittance is requested; the VOUCHER IS FORCED; and then the firm ‘dries up,’ and changes its name and address.
