Driven forward or onward by or as if by means of a force that imparts motion.
From Latin propellere, combining pro- (forward) + pellere (to drive). The word entered English in the 15th century, originally meaning to drive away, but evolved to mean driving forward by the 17th century.
The word propelled beautifully captures the physics of momentum - whether describing a rocket ship or someone propelled to fame, it implies an external force creating unstoppable forward motion. Interestingly, the Latin root pellere also gives us 'expel' and 'repel', showing how the same driving force can work in different directions.
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