police Meaning & Definition
What Does Police Mean?
As a noun, police means 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. It is also used to mean A department of local (usually municipal) government responsible for general law enforcement. As a verb, it means To enforce the law and keep order among (a group).
Word Facts for Police
| Part of speech | noun, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | //pəˈliːs// |
| Syllables | 1 |
| Synonyms | law, constabulary and patrol |
| Verb forms | polices, policing, policed |
Police Definition (Noun)
- 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.
Call the police!
- A department of local (usually municipal) government responsible for general law enforcement.
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.
- A branch of the Home Office responsible for general law enforcement within a specific territory.
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.
- Any of the formally enacted law enforcement agencies at various levels of government.
- The staff of such a department or agency, particularly its officers; an individual police officer.
- People who try to enforce norms or standards as if granted authority similar to the police.
Who called the fashion police?
- Cleanup of a military facility, as a formal duty.
- Synonym of administration, the regulation of a community or society.
- Alternative form of policy.
- Alternative form of polity, civilization, a regulated community.
Police as a Verb
- To enforce the law and keep order among (a group).
Extra security was hired to police the crowd at the big game.
- To clean up an area.
- To enforce norms or standards upon.
to police a person's identity
Noun
- A civil force granted the legal authority for law enforcement and maintaining public order.
Call the police!
- A police officer.
- People who seek to enforce norms or standards.
thought police
- The duty of cleaning up.
- Policy.
- Communal living; civilization.
- The regulation of a given community or society; administration, law and order etc.
Synonyms of Police
Police synonyms and antonyms →Antonyms of Police
No antonyms or near antonyms are listed by the available sources for this entry.
Police in a Sentence
Call the police!
Police! help! Police! help!
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.
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.
Who called the fashion police?
Extra security was hired to police the crowd at the big game.
to police a person's identity
thought police
Word Forms & Grammar
police pl (normally plural, singular police)
police (third-person singular simple present polices, present participle policing, simple past and past participle policed)
Words That Rhyme With Police
Origin of Police
From Middle French police, from Latin polītīa (“state, government”), from Ancient Greek πολιτεία (politeía). Doublet of policy, polis (“police”), and polity.
How Do You Say Police?
Police is pronounced //pəˈliːs// and has 1 syllable.
Quick Answers About Police
Is police a noun or a verb?
Police is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb.
What is another word for police?
You can replace police with words such as law, constabulary and patrol. See the full list of police synonyms and antonyms.
What is the past tense of police?
The past tense of police is policed. The present participle is policing.