Refine this word faster

Stronger alternatives Opposite tone Use in context Cross-language nuance

Police

//pəˈliːs// noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A constituted body of officers representing the civil authority of government, empowered to maintain public order and safety, enforce the law, and prevent, detect, and investigate crime. plural, plural-normally

    "There are nine Principles of Police: ... 7 To maintain at all times a relationship with the public that gives reality to the historic tradition that the police are the public and that the public are the police; the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen, in the interests of community welfare and existence."

  2. 2
    the force of policemen and officers wordnet
  3. 3
    A constituted body of officers representing the civil authority of government, empowered to maintain public order and safety, enforce the law, and prevent, detect, and investigate crime.; A department of local (usually municipal) government responsible for general law enforcement. Canada, US, historical, plural, plural-normally

    "The Cook County Sheriff's Department has jurisdiction across most of Chicago but focuses on the unincorporated area and tasks like prisoner transport, leaving the rest to the Chicago Police Department."

  4. 4
    A constituted body of officers representing the civil authority of government, empowered to maintain public order and safety, enforce the law, and prevent, detect, and investigate crime.; A branch of the Home Office responsible for general law enforcement within a specific territory. UK, plural, plural-normally

    "Scotland Yard is, technically speaking, only the metropolitan police for Greater London but because of their importance they have special jurisdiction for some crimes across the United Kingdom."

  5. 5
    A constituted body of officers representing the civil authority of government, empowered to maintain public order and safety, enforce the law, and prevent, detect, and investigate crime.; Any of the formally enacted law enforcement agencies at various levels of government. Australia, New-Zealand, plural, plural-normally
Show 6 more definitions
  1. 6
    The staff of such a department or agency, particularly its officers; (regional, chiefly US, Caribbean, Jamaica, Scotland, countable) an individual police officer. plural, plural-normally, plural-only, usually

    "Pearlman: Very clever, Lester. You got it all figured, huh? Freamon: Me? I'm just a police."

  2. 7
    People who try to enforce norms or standards as if granted authority similar to the police. derogatory, figuratively, ironic, mildly, plural, plural-normally, usually

    "Who called the fashion police?"

  3. 8
    Cleanup of a military facility, as a formal duty. plural, plural-normally, slang

    "Q. […] What did you do that day? — A. I was cleaning up around quarters. Q. You had been on guard and went on police duty? You were policing, cleaning up around the barracks? — A. Yes, sir."

  4. 9
    Synonym of administration, the regulation of a community or society. archaic, plural, plural-normally

    "The notion of ‘police’ – that is, rational administration – was seen as a historical force which could bring civilized improvement to societies."

  5. 10
    Alternative form of policy. alt-of, alternative, obsolete, plural, plural-normally
  6. 11
    Alternative form of polity, civilization, a regulated community. alt-of, alternative, obsolete, plural, plural-normally
Verb
  1. 1
    To enforce the law and keep order among (a group). transitive

    "Extra security was hired to police the crowd at the big game."

  2. 2
    maintain the security of by carrying out a patrol wordnet
  3. 3
    To clean up an area. ambitransitive, slang

    "This comes to him through the company housekeeping, for in the field each organization takes care of itself, cooks its own food, makes its own beds, does its own policing (cleaning up); […]"

  4. 4
    To enforce norms or standards upon. figuratively, transitive

    "to police a person's identity"

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle French police, from Latin polītīa (“state, government”), from Ancient Greek πολιτεία (politeía). Doublet of policy, polis (“police”), and polity.

Etymology 2

From Middle French police, from Latin polītīa (“state, government”), from Ancient Greek πολιτεία (politeía). Doublet of policy, polis (“police”), and polity.

See also for "police"

Synonyms Antonyms Rhymes Sentences Translate Word Type Pronunciation Word Forms

Next best steps

Find stronger synonymsSee usage examplesCheck pronunciation

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: police