police
IPA: pʌɫˈis
noun
- A public agency charged with enforcing laws and maintaining public order, usually being granted special privileges to do so, particularly
- (Canada, US and historical) A department of local (usually municipal) government responsible for general law enforcement.
- (UK) A branch of the Home Office responsible for general law enforcement within a specific territory.
- (Australia, New Zealand) Any of the formally enacted law enforcement agencies at various levels of government.
- (usually plural only) The staff of such a department or agency, particularly its officers; (regional, chiefly US, Caribbean, Jamaica, Scotland, countable) an individual police officer.
- (figuratively, usually ironic and mildly derogatory) People who try to enforce norms or standards as if granted authority similar to the police.
- (military, slang) Cleanup of a military facility, as a formal duty.
- (archaic, now rare) Synonym of administration, the regulation of a community or society.
- (obsolete) Alternative form of policy. [A principle of behaviour, conduct etc. thought to be desirable or necessary, especially as formally expressed by a government or other authoritative body.]
- (obsolete) Alternative form of polity, civilization, a regulated community. [(politics, religion, usually uncountable) Organizational structure and governance, especially of a state or a religion.]
verb
- (transitive) To enforce the law and keep order among (a group).
- (transitive, intransitive, military, slang) To clean up an area.
- (transitive, figurative) To enforce norms or standards upon.
Advertisement
Examples of "police" in Sentences
- Maybe the term police state is a bit strong for the current situation, but the trend is clear -- Britain is heading that way.
- It was the Parliament's first duty to see to the extraordinary police (_haute police_) in its district; it performed the duty badly and weakly.
- Derived from integration of all other set targets, the government knows well enough that public confidence in police is the ultimate performance measure.
- The ridiculous thought of citizens being hauled off by the label police has been the stuff of comedy for years, the crowning symbol for silly, over-the-top government obtrusiveness.
- "Of course, we have," replied Müffling, smiling, "that is to say, we have a police to attend to sweeping the chimneys and cleaning the streets, but as to a _haute police_, we still live in a state of perfect innocence."
- Here I am, trying to build a modern police service '- the chief constable did not allow the term police force - 'a service that is at ease with itself and comfortably achieving its goal targets in the key area of law upholdment, and all anybody wants to talk about is your failure to arrest the Peeping Tom murderer.'
- * police confiscate more than $1m from phish fans* western military forces turning inward in anticipation of domestic unrest* man says he was informant for fbi in orange county* taser launches headcam for cops* new airport security rules to require more personal information* army to start liaison program with washington state police* the cia: beyond redemption & should be terminated* nfl
Advertisement
Advertisement