police
C1 (Very High)Neutral formal and informal. Used in all registers from legal documents to everyday conversation.
Definition
Meaning
The official organization responsible for maintaining public order and safety, enforcing laws, and preventing and investigating crime.
Members of a police force collectively; the civil force of a state. Also used metaphorically to describe any body that enforces rules or regulations (e.g., 'the fashion police').
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a collective noun (treated as plural: 'The police are investigating'). Can be used attributively (police officer, police car). The singular 'policeman'/'policewoman' refers to an individual.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. UK often uses 'force' (Metropolitan Police Force). US more commonly uses 'department' (Chicago Police Department). The informal term 'the fuzz' is archaic in both.
Connotations
Generally neutral/institutional. Can carry negative connotations in contexts of protest or misconduct ('police brutality').
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Someone] police [something/area][Police] + VERB (plural)the police of [country/city]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “police state”
- “police action (military)”
- “run like a police operation (very disciplined)”
- “fashion police”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in security context ('hired police for the event').
Academic
Common in sociology, criminology, law, political science texts.
Everyday
Extremely common for reporting crime, discussing safety.
Technical
Used in legal and law enforcement contexts with specific terms (e.g., 'police procedural', 'police jurisdiction').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The army was brought in to police the troubled region.
- A new committee will police the industry's standards.
American English
- The UN mission policed the ceasefire agreement.
- The software polices network traffic for threats.
adjective
British English
- He was arrested and taken to the police station.
- The police inquiry lasted several months.
American English
- She filed a police report after the burglary.
- The suspect was put in a police car.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The police help people.
- Call the police!
- The police are looking for a tall man in a blue jacket.
- We asked a police officer for directions.
- Local police have launched an investigation into the fraud.
- Protesters clashed with riot police.
- The independent body oversees the conduct of the police.
- The novel is a gripping police procedural set in London.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'POLITE' society needing the 'POLICE' to keep it that way. Both words start with 'POLI-'.
Conceptual Metaphor
AUTHORITY IS A POLICE FORCE (e.g., 'My conscience policed my actions.'); SOCIAL ORDER IS POLICING.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'полиция' as 'militia' - that is archaic/wrong. 'Police' is correct. Remember it's plural in construction: 'Police are...' not 'Police is...'.
- Do not use 'police' as a countable noun for one person. Use 'police officer', 'policeman', 'policewoman'.
Common Mistakes
- Using singular verb: ❌'The police is here.' ✔️'The police are here.'
- Using as a countable noun: ❌'Three polices arrived.' ✔️'Three police officers arrived.'
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is treated as a plural noun when referring to the collective force. e.g., 'The police are coming.' Use singular when referring to the institution as a concept is rarer but possible in specific contexts (e.g., 'The police is a vital institution.').
'Police' is the collective group. A 'police officer' (or policeman/policewoman) is one individual member of that group.
Yes. It means to control, regulate, or keep order in an area or over a process (e.g., 'to police the border', 'to police content online').
In meaning, yes. 'Cops' is informal/slang. 'Police' is the standard, neutral term suitable for all contexts.
Collections
Part of a collection
Places in the City
A1 · 50 words · Common buildings and places found in towns and cities.
Work and Jobs
A2 · 49 words · Jobs, professions and the world of work.
Crime and Justice
B1 · 46 words · Vocabulary for law, crime and the justice system.