I. pəˈlēs, pōˈ-, in rapid speech ˈplēs noun
( plural police )
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle French, conduct of public affairs, administration of government, from Late Latin politia, from Latin, state, from Greek politeia citizenship, administration of government, state, from politēs citizen, from polis city; akin to Sanskrit pura city and probably to Latin plenus full — more at full
1. archaic : social or group organization : civilization
insects whose faculties, police , and sagacity have been … overrated — J.R.Johnson
the age … was far less insecure in its condition of police — Thomas De Quincey
2. archaic : policy
the police and interests of the Roman see — John Entick
3.
a.
(1) : the internal organization or regulation of a political unit (as a nation or state) : the control and regulation of such a unit through the exercise of governmental powers
(2) : such control and regulation with respect to matters affecting the general comfort, health, morals, safety, or prosperity of the public
b. : the control and regulation of the affairs affecting the general order and welfare of a nonpolitical unit (as a camp) or area
regulations regarding the police of this navigation — Congress of Vienna 1815
the police of the boat is superior to the best regulated tavern — Anne Royall
c. : the organization or system of laws for effecting such control
4.
a. : the department of government concerned primarily with the maintenance of public order, safety, and health and the enforcement of the laws and possessing executive, judicial, and legislative powers — see police power
b. : the department of government having as its principal function the prevention, detection, and prosecution of public nuisances and crimes
5.
a. : police force
the metropolitan police
the police was there in force — Arthur Morrison
the police and other local law enforcement bodies — Jack Lait & Lee Mortimer
b. : a member of a police force or constabulary : policeman — usually used in plural
ask these two police all the questions — Thomas Sterling
detectives, plainclothesmen and uniformed police — New York Herald Tribune
6.
a.
(1) : an organization resembling the police force of a community : a group of persons officially entrusted with the duty of keeping order and enforcing regulations in a usually specified area
railway police
dock police
campus police
(2) : a member of such an organization — usually used in plural
b.
(1) : a group of persons held to resemble such a police force in organization or function
society … has its code and police as well as governments — W.M.Thackeray
(2) : a member of such a group — usually used in plural
members act as volunteer thought police — Paul Blanshard
7. : the action or process of cleaning and putting in order (as a building or an area)
the gun commander is responsible for the police of his gun position
8. : military personnel detailed to perform a usually specified function — see kitchen police
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: in sense 1, from Middle French policer, from police, n.; in other senses, from police (I)
1. archaic : to maintain law and order in (as a country) : govern
humane laws by which kingdoms are policed — John Donne
2.
a. : to control, regulate, or keep in order by the use of police or a similar force or by means held to resemble the use of police
a four-lane thoroughfare policed against speeding — American Guide Series: Texas
waters … policed by two sets of revenue officers — American Guide Series: Maryland
the use of superstition for … policing the mob — Benjamin Farrington
b. : to guard or protect by means of police
3. : to make clean and put in order (as a military camp) — often used with up
4.
a. : to supervise the operation, execution, or administration of (as an agreement) to prevent or detect and prosecute violations of rules and regulations
responsibility for policing the peace — Sumner Welles
the role of government in policing welfare funds — Ed Marciniak
use of an internal audit agency … to police the financial and accounting activities — H.W.Bordner
b. : to exercise such a supervision over the policies and activities of
a top-level committee to police holders of government contracts — New Republic
every industry has a moral obligation to police itself — Advertising & Selling
5. : to perform the functions (as regulation or protection) of a police force in or over
state police charged with policing rural communities — American Guide Series: Michigan
ordered his 40,000-man army … to police the land — Current Biography