forcefall

English

Etymology

From Middle English *forsfal, from Old Norse forsfall (“waterfall, torrent”), equivalent to force (“waterfall”) +‎ fall. Compare Icelandic fossfall (“waterfall, torrent”).

Noun

forcefall (plural forcefalls)

1. (rare, literal or figurative) A waterfall or cascading torrent.
   • 1924, Frederick Spencer Oliver, A Dweller on Two Planets, page 64:

     For down from His heights, marking the descent by "forcefalls" as a river marks declivities in its bed by cataracts, comes this supreme power; […]

   • 1990, Gladys Goring Johnson, December, volume 33, page 82:

     Tops of sweet birch snap strong and stiff like bones busting against bats or the sides of heads slapping concrete through the forcefall that takes a score more limbs before piercing top soil like carelessly falling arrows.

Synonyms

• waterfall