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APG.American
Pronunciation Guide
HOW TO PRONOUNCE

police

/pəˈlis/

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American Pronunciation Guide · 0:47
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What does police mean?

noun

  1. A constituted body of officers representing the civil authority of government, empowered to maintain public order and safety, enforce the law, and prevent, detect, and investigate crime.
  2. A branch of the Home Office responsible for general law enforcement within a specific territory.
  3. Any of the formally enacted law enforcement agencies at various levels of government.
More meanings (10)

noun

  1. The staff of such a department or agency, particularly its officers; (regional, chiefly US, Caribbean, Jamaica, Scotland, countable) an individual police officer.
  2. (slang) Cleanup of a military facility, as a formal duty.
  3. (historical) A department of local (usually municipal) government responsible for general law enforcement.
  4. (derogatory, figuratively) People who try to enforce norms or standards as if granted authority similar to the police.
  5. (archaic) Synonym of administration, the regulation of a community or society.
  6. (obsolete) Alternative form of policy.
  7. (obsolete) Alternative form of polity, civilization, a regulated community.

verb

  1. To enforce the law and keep order among (a group).
  2. (slang) To clean up an area.
  3. (figuratively) To enforce norms or standards upon.
Wiktionary contributors

Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0

IPA pronunciation

/pəˈlis/

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary ↗

Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.

In the pages of books

See this word in context.

For a family in our situation, the Superintendent of the Frizinghall police was the most comforting officer you could wish to see.
Wilkie CollinsThe MoonstoneProject Gutenberg ebook #155
Then for a time they had entertained a wild idea that a place on the police force could be secured for McTeague.
Frank NorrisMcTeague: A Story of San FranciscoProject Gutenberg ebook #165
More book examples (3)
It was that of Inspector Ryman of the river police and their launch was within biscuit-throw of that upon which we lay!
Sax RohmerThe Insidious Dr. Fu ManchuProject Gutenberg ebook #173
At last she inquired of a police officer, and was directed to proceed “two blocks up,” where she would find “The Fair.”
Theodore DreiserSister Carrie: A NovelProject Gutenberg ebook #233
When we were attacked by the police, I was playing in the teepee, and the only other person at home was Uncheedah.
Charles A. EastmanIndian BoyhoodProject Gutenberg ebook #337