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policeman

n.
US //pəˈɫismən// UK //pəlˈiːsmən// po·lice·man
  1. 1 male officer (n.)
    A1 Beginner

    a man who is a member of the police force.

    a male member of a police force, responsible for maintaining public order and enforcing the law.

    Example

    The policeman helped the lost child find his parents in the park.

    Example

    The policeman directed traffic around the accident site while waiting for the emergency services to arrive.

    Usage

    Often replaced by the gender-neutral 'police officer' in modern professional contexts.

    Teacher's tip

    While still common, many people now prefer 'police officer' to avoid assuming the person's gender.
  2. 2 chemistry tool (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    a glass rod with a rubber tip used in a science lab to scrape small amounts of solids.

    a glass stirring rod with a rubber scraper attached to one end, used in gravimetric analysis to remove precipitates from glassware.

    Example

    The student used a rubber policeman to scrape the last bit of powder into the filter.

    Example

    In the final step of the gravimetric analysis, the chemist used a rubber policeman to ensure all precipitate was transferred from the beaker.

    Usage

    Usually appears as the compound noun 'rubber policeman'.
    • rubber policeman
Origin

From police + -man.

Idioms1 entry

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