WordWeight : Weighing the Words

Pronunciation : Po*lice"
Part of Speech : n.
Etymology : [F., fr. L. politia the condition of a state, government, administration, Gr. pur, puri. Cf. Policy polity, Polity.]
Definition : 1. A judicial and executive system, for the government of a city, town, or district, for the preservation of rights, order, cleanliness, health, etc., and for the enforcement of the laws and prevention of crime; the administration of the laws and regulations of a city, incorporated town, or borough.

2. That which concerns the order of the community; the internal regulation of a state.

3. The organized body of civil officers in a city, town, or district, whose particular duties are the preservation of good order, the prevention and detection of crime, and the enforcement of the laws.

4. (Mil.)

Defn: Military police, the body of soldiers detailed to preserve civil order and attend to sanitary arrangements in a camp or garrison.

5. The cleaning of a camp or garrison, or the state Police commissioner, a civil officer, usually one of a board, commissioned to regulate and control the appointment, duties, and discipline of the police. -- Police constable, or Police officer, a policeman. -- Police court, a minor court to try persons brought before it by the police. -- Police inspector, an officer of police ranking next below a superintendent. -- Police jury, a body of officers who collectively exercise jurisdiction in certain cases of police, as levying taxes, etc.; -- so called in Louisiana. Bouvier. -- Police justice, or Police magistrate, a judge of a police court. -- Police offenses (Law), minor offenses against the order of the community, of which a police court may have final jurisdiction. -- Police station, the headquarters of the police, or of a section of them; the place where the police assemble for orders, and to which they take arrested persons.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913

Pronunciation : Po*lice"
Part of Speech : v.
Definition : 1. To keep in order by police.

2. (Mil.)

Defn: To make clean; as, to police a camp.

t. [imp. & p. p. Policed; p. pr. & vb. n. Policing.]
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913