| police | |
| 1. n. A civil force granted the legal authority for law enforcement and maintaining public order. | |
| Call the police! | |
| The police operating in New York City operate under the New York City Police Department, several other City agencies and boards, and several public authorities. | |
| 2. n. (regional, chiefly US, Caribbean, Scotland) A police officer. | |
| 3. n. (obsolete) Policy. | |
| 4. n. (obsolete) Communal living; civilization. | |
| 5. n. (now rare, historical) The regulation of a given community or society; administration, law and order etc. | |
| 6. v. To enforce the law and keep order among (a group). | |
| Extra security was hired to police the crowd at the big game. | |
| 7. v. To patrol or clean up an area. | |
| 8. v. (transitive, figurative) To enforce norms or standards upon. | |
| to police a person's identity | |
