provost guardn.
/ˈprɒvəst ˌɡɑːd/, /ˈprɒvɒst ˌɡɑːd/, /ˈprəʊvəʊ ˌɡɑːd/, U.S. /ˈproʊˌvoʊst ˈɡɑrd/, /ˈproʊvəst ˈɡɑrd/, /ˈproʊˌvoʊ ˈɡɑrd/ Chiefly U.S. (now chiefly historical).
A body of soldiers acting as military police under a provost marshal; (also) the quarters used by these.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military organization > logistics > quartering > [noun] > quarters > of military police
provost guard1763
society > armed hostility > armed forces > the Army > group with special function or duty > [noun] > for guard duty > guard with policing duties
picket1787
provost guard1864
main guard1876
1763 G. A. Stevens Dramatic Hist. Master Edward 159 Those persons, who in the camp are the hangmen of the army, and called the provost guard.
1776 W. Henshaw Orderly Bk. 20 May in G. Washington Papers (1991) Revolutionary War Ser. IV. 344 (note) Provost Guard 1 Captain, 1 Subaltern, 2 Serjeants, 2 Corporals, 1 Drummer, 24 Privates.
1778 Jrnls. Continental Congr. 1774–89 (Libr. of Congr.) (1908) X. 74 About thirty [officers] who have been confined in the provost guard and in the most loathsome gaols.
1864 O. W. Norton Army Lett. (1903) 212 Company K is provost guard and river patrol.
1883 A. E. Sweet & J. A. Knox On Mexican Mustang xlii. 595 We may be caught by the provost-guard, and put in the bull-pen.
1906 B. L. Ridley Battles & Sketches Army Tennessee 285 Early in the morning a detail from the provost guard marched to General Stewart's headquarters, stacked their arms and left.
1996 F. Anderson People's Army iii. 79 The camp also had a ‘provost guard’ which provided police functions beyond those supplied by the quarter guards of each battalion... Its main responsibility was to secure any prisoners being held for trial.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2007; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1763