police

po|lice¹ W1S1 [pəˈli:s] n [plural]

[Date: 1400-1500; : French; Origin: Late Latin politia 'government', from polites; POLITIC]

1.) the people who work for an official organization whose job is to catch criminals and make sure that people obey the law

▪ Police surrounded the courthouse.

▪ Several police were injured during the rioting.

▪ Armed police stormed the building.

2.) the police

the official organization whose job is to catch criminals and make sure that people obey the law

▪ Quick! Call the police !

▪ Did you report the robbery to the police ?

▪ He was arrested by the police for dangerous driving.

▪ a police car

→↑military police, ↑secret police

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HINT

Police is a plural noun. Do not say 'a police'. Say a police officer, a policeman, or a policewoman: The police were called. |A police officer came.

WORD FOCUS: police

people in the police force: police officer, policeman, policewoman, detective, cop (informal)

the building where the police work: police station

what the police do: investigate crimes, find/collect evidence, arrest people who they think are guilty of a crime, question/interrogate people about crimes, hold/detain people in custody, charge people with crimes, release people if they are innocent

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police ²

police² v [T]

1.) to keep control over a particular area in order to make sure that laws are obeyed and that people and property are protected, using a police or military force

▪ The army was brought in to police the city centre.

2.) to control a particular activity or industry by making sure that people follow the correct rules for what they do

▪ The agency was set up to police the nuclear power industry.

→↑policing