Final answer:
The correct meaning of the verb 'compel' is to force or urge someone to do something. This choice directly aligns with the idea of applying pressure or authority to drive a person's action.
Step-by-step explanation:
The word compel is a verb derived from Latin where "com-" means "together" or "with," and "pel" means to drive or force. When using the word compel, it means to force or urge someone to do something. Therefore, the correct choice from the given options would be to force or urge, as it directly reflects the idea of using authority or pressure to make someone do a particular action. The word does not imply bringing together, driving away, or combining in any sense related to its usage in English.
To help you understand, here is an example of how "compel" can be used: The court can compel the company to pay a fine for environmental damage. Here, compel means exercising authority to make the company take a specific action which is to pay a fine.