police
police — noun
1. the government organization in a place that keeps public order, protects people,
the government organization in a place that keeps public order, protects people, and investigates crime
The police are asking drivers to avoid River Road tonight.
the police are ... — usual plural verb
After the fraud report, local police opened an investigation.
local police + investigation
Taipei police launch road-safety drives before summer vacation.
The police in our town now take reports online.
When the alarm failed, police sent officers to every door.
- law enforcement
broader, especially in American English, for the policing system as a whole
- police force
more explicit and often used for a particular city's or country's service
- authorities
broader; can include officials other than the police
文法句型
the police are ...
call the police
local police
用法筆記
Often appears with a plural verb even when you mean the department or organization. Distinguish from sense 2 when the focus is on the actual officers at a scene rather than the institution taking action.
常見錯誤
2. police officers as a group, especially the ones working in a particular place
police officers as a group, especially the ones working in a particular place
The police arrived within minutes after Maya pressed the alarm.
the police arrived — officers as a group
Outside the stadium, police checked bags with flashlights.
By dawn, the police were still standing near Noah's gate.
After the crash, police directed cars around broken glass.
From her window, Lina saw police carrying a man downstairs.
- officers
neutral and often used when the individual people are more visible
- cops
informal and common in speech, films, and headlines
- law enforcement
more institutional and broader than the officers on one scene
文法句型
the police arrived
police checked [something]
the police were ...
用法筆記
Normally takes a plural verb in standard English. Distinguish from sense 1 when you mean the service or department making decisions, not the officers physically present.
常見錯誤
police — verb
1. to place officers around a place or event so they can keep order and stop troubl
to place officers around a place or event so they can keep order and stop trouble
Hundreds of officers policed the city marathon on Sunday.
police [event] with officers present
The square was heavily policed during the president's visit.
passive: be heavily policed
After dark, volunteers helped police the festival gates.
Extra teams policed the beach after the holiday fireworks.
To prevent fights, guards policed the concert line outside.
文法句型
police [event/place]
be heavily policed
help police [place]
用法筆記
The object is usually a place, crowd, route, or public event. Passive forms are common when the focus is on how much security a place has rather than on the officers doing the work.
常見錯誤
2. to make sure a risky activity or substance follows rules and is dealt with safel
to make sure a risky activity or substance follows rules and is dealt with safely
New laws police the sale of fireworks near schools.
[law] police [activity]
The agency polices chemical waste from small factories.
Firework stalls near the temple were poorly policed before New Year.
Fresh rules now police drone flights above crowded parks.
One office polices the storage of gas at the port.
- deregulate
means reducing or removing official control by rules
文法句型
police [activity/substance]
be poorly policed
[law/agency] police [activity]
用法筆記
The subject is often a law, rule, agency, or office, and the object is usually the activity or substance being controlled. Distinguish from sense 1, which is about sending officers to a place or event.