force a virtuous woman into prostitution; metaphorically, force a good person to do evil
Meanings
2 senses · 5 examplesverb phrase
force a virtuous woman into prostitution
formalOriginal, literal meaning describing a specific, severe form of exploitation and coercion.
The landlords and local tyrants of the old society often bullied men and women, forcing virtuous women into prostitution.
One of the crimes of this group of human traffickers is abducting women and forcing them into prostitution.
verb phrase
force a good or honest person to do evil things
neutralThe more common modern, metaphorical usage. Criticizes a situation where external pressure corrupts someone's morals or forces them into a wrongful act.
The company's outrageous sales targets are practically forcing honest employees to cheat.
In such a vicious competitive environment, many businesses feel forced to cut corners and sell shoddy products.
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He was originally an honest official, but in the end, the corrupt environment forced him to become corrupt too.