# police

/pəˈɫis/ (US) · /pəlˈiːs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/police
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 2. rule enforcers

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal · Humorous

people who try to control how others behave or speak, even if they are not official officers.

For teachers: individuals or groups who unofficially monitor and enforce specific standards, norms, or behaviors.

- The fashion police will hate those shoes with that dress.
- The grammar police were quick to point out the misplaced apostrophe in the company's annual report.

### 3. cleaning duty

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · Slang

the job of cleaning up a military camp or area.

For teachers: the act of cleaning or tidying a military facility or grounds as a formal duty.

- The soldiers spent the afternoon on police call, picking up litter around the barracks.
- After the field exercise, the platoon was assigned to police the area to ensure no equipment or refuse remained on the training grounds.

### 4. to monitor or control

verb · CEFR B2

to watch an area or a group to make sure people are following the rules.

For teachers: to maintain law and order in a specific area or to oversee a group to ensure compliance with regulations.

- The local community helps to police the park at night.
- The international agency was tasked to police the border and ensure that the ceasefire agreement was strictly observed by both parties.

### 5. to enforce standards

verb · CEFR C1 · Academic · Formal

to make sure that people follow certain standards or ways of behaving.

For teachers: to regulate or control the internal affairs of a group or the standards of a particular activity.

- It is difficult for the industry to police itself without outside help.
- The committee was established to police the ethical standards of the research department, ensuring all protocols met national guidelines.

## Examples

- The police are investigating the robbery.
- If you witness a car accident, you should call the police immediately to report the location.
- The city council voted to increase funding for the police to improve response times and community outreach programs in underserved neighborhoods.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.