stop and frisk: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low in general usage, medium in legal or news contextsFormal, legal, journalistic
Quick answer
What does “stop and frisk” mean?
A law enforcement procedure where a police officer stops a person, questions them, and conducts a pat-down search for weapons or illegal items.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A law enforcement procedure where a police officer stops a person, questions them, and conducts a pat-down search for weapons or illegal items.
Often refers to the controversial practice associated with racial profiling and civil liberties debates, particularly in the United States.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In American English, 'stop and frisk' is standard; in British English, the equivalent term is 'stop and search'.
Connotations
In the US, it often has negative connotations due to controversies over racial profiling; in the UK, 'stop and search' has similar debates but may be less politicized.
Frequency
'Stop and frisk' is common in US legal and media discourse; 'stop and search' is more frequent in UK contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “stop and frisk” in a Sentence
undergo a stop and friskchallenge the stop and friskimplement stop and friskVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “stop and frisk” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The police may stop and search you if they suspect wrongdoing.
American English
- Officers can stop and frisk individuals based on reasonable suspicion.
adjective
British English
- The stop-and-search policy has been widely debated.
American English
- The stop-and-frisk law is currently under judicial review.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used; may appear in legal or security consulting contexts.
Academic
Common in law, criminology, and sociology papers discussing police practices.
Everyday
Used in news reports or political discussions about law enforcement.
Technical
Standard term in US law enforcement and legal terminology.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “stop and frisk”
- Using it as a verb without hyphenation, e.g., 'he was stop and frisked' should be 'he was stop-and-frisked' or 'he underwent a stop and frisk'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is legal under specific conditions in the United States, based on reasonable suspicion as established by case law.
In British English, the similar practice is called stop and search.
Due to concerns over racial profiling, disproportionate targeting of minorities, and potential violations of civil liberties.
Yes, informally, as in 'to stop and frisk someone', but it is primarily a noun phrase in formal contexts.
A law enforcement procedure where a police officer stops a person, questions them, and conducts a pat-down search for weapons or illegal items.
Stop and frisk is usually formal, legal, journalistic in register.
Stop and frisk: in British English it is pronounced /stɒp ən frɪsk/, and in American English it is pronounced /stɑp ən frɪsk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “stop, question, and frisk”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Remember 'stop and frisk' by thinking of police stopping someone to frisk for risks.
Conceptual Metaphor
Safety through intrusion
Practice
Quiz
What does 'stop and frisk' primarily refer to?