What does "patrol" mean?
A going of the rounds along the chain of sentinels and between the posts, by a guard, usually consisting of three or four men, to insure greater security from attacks on the outposts.
Patrol
/pəˈtɹəʊl/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A going of the rounds along the chain of sentinels and between the posts, by a guard, usually consisting of three or four men, to insure greater security from attacks on the outposts.
- Grammar: patrol is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: airplane spotter, argus, baywatch, beat.
- Useful contrasts: abandon, disregard, ignore.
- Usage evidence: The patrol cars cover the whole of the area.
How to use "patrol"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "patrol" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "patrol" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "patrol" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "patrol" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "patrol" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "airplane spotter" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "patrol", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A going of the rounds along the chain of sentinels and between the posts, by a guard, usually consisting of three or four men, to insure greater security from attacks on the outposts. countable, uncountable
"Four members of the squadron were on patrol."
- 2 the activity of going around or through an area at regular intervals for security purposes wordnet
- 3 A movement, by a small body of troops beyond the line of outposts, to explore the country and gain intelligence of the enemy's whereabouts. countable, uncountable
- 4 a detachment used for security or reconnaissance wordnet
- 5 The guards who go the rounds for observation; a detachment whose duty it is to patrol. countable, uncountable
"After cordial good-bye to our hospitable hostess we motored back to Chaumont where we dined with Colonel Mitchell; and then with another long drive we finally reached home tired but happy at 3.30 in the morning. There staring me in the face was an order directing me to lead my patrol over the lines in the morning at five o'clock, sharp! An hour and a half sleep for an utterly worn out aviator!"
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 a group that goes through a region at regular intervals for the purpose of security wordnet
- 7 The largest division of officers within a police department or sheriff's office, whose assignment is to patrol and respond to calls for service. countable, uncountable
- 8 Any perambulation of a particular line or district to guard it; also, the people thus guarding. countable, uncountable
"a customs patrol"
- 9 A unit of a troop, usually defined by certain ranks or age groups within the troop, and ideally comprised of six to eight members. countable, uncountable
"On a makeshift bed in the corner was an old woman looking very sick. Then a patrol of "Missioner" Scouts appeared on the scene: one seized a broom and swept out the room; the next made up the fire with some fuel he had procured and made her a cup of tea; another mended the rickety table, bed and chair, making them at any rate serviceable, while a fourth straightened out the bedclothes, propped the old lady up, and did his best to cheer her until the tea was ready."
Verb
- 1 To go the rounds along a chain of sentinels; to traverse a police district or beat. intransitive
- 2 maintain the security of by carrying out a patrol wordnet
- 3 To go the rounds of, as a sentry, guard, or policeman transitive
"to patrol a frontier"
Antonyms
Example
"The patrol cars cover the whole of the area."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "patrol"?
Common synonyms include: airplane spotter, argus, baywatch, beat, beat, canvasses.
How do you use "patrol" in a sentence?
The patrol cars cover the whole of the area.
How do you pronounce "patrol"?
Pronounced /pəˈtɹəʊl/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From French patrouille, from Old French patrouille, patouille (“a night-watch”, literally “a tramping about”), from patrouiller, patouiller, patoiller (“to paddle or pudder in water, dabble with the feet, begrime, besmear”), from patte, pate (“paw, foot of an animal”), from Vulgar Latin *patta (“paw, foot”), from Frankish *patta (“paw, sole of the foot”), from Proto-Germanic *paþjaną, *paþōną (“to walk, tread, go, step, pace”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pent-, *(s)pat- (“path; to walk”), a variant of Proto-Indo-European *pent-, *pat- (“path; to go”); see find. Cognate with Dutch pad, patte (“paw”), Low German pedden (“to step, tread”), German patschen (“to splash, smack, dabble, waddle”), German Patsche (“a swatter, beater, paw, puddle, mire”). Related to pad, path.
Etymology 2
From French patrouiller, from Old French patrouiller (“to paddle, paw about, patrol”), from patte (“a paw”).