police

police [pə lēs′]

n.

[Fr < LL politia, administration of the commonwealth (in L, the state) < Gr politeia, the state, citizenship < politēs, citizen < polis, city < IE * pel-, fortress (> Sans pūr, town), orig., filled wall, special use of base * pel-, to flow, fill > FULL¹]

1. Archaic the regulation within a community of morals, safety, sanitation, etc.; public order; law enforcement

2. the governmental department (of a city, state, etc.) organized for keeping order, enforcing the law, and preventing, detecting, and prosecuting crimes

3.

a) a governmental force, or body of persons, established and maintained for keeping order, etc.

b) a private organization like this [security police at a college]

c) [with pl. v.] the members of any such force

d) [with pl. verb] Informal those who act as self-appointed guardians of morality, propriety, style, etc.: usually somewhat disparaging [the fashion police, the language police ]

☆ 4. U.S. Army

a) the work or duty of keeping a camp, post, etc. clean and orderly

b) [with pl. v.] the soldiers charged with such duty [kitchen police]

vt.

policed, policing

1. to control, protect, or keep orderly with or as police or a similar force [to police the streets ]

☆ 2. to make or keep (a military camp, post, etc.) clean and orderly: often with up