释义 |
po·lice 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 > |