Old Bill

English

Proper noun

(historical) A cartoon character created by Bruce Bairnsfather in 1914.
- 1917, “Captain Bruce Bairnsfather. Soldier and Cartoonist”, in The Literary Digest, volume 54, page 68:
  This “volunteer laughter-maker” is looked upon in London as “the humorous success of the war”; his Old Bill and Our Bert, and “their sand-bags, plum- and apple-jam, bully and Johnson ’oles” have become part of English war conversation.

Noun

Old Bill (uncountable)

(Britain, slang, law enforcement) A police officer
(British slang, frequently with the) The police force.
(British slang, dated) A soldier, especially one who resembles the cartoon character.

Synonyms

(police officer): See Thesaurus:police or Thesaurus:police officer

References

“Old Bill, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, March 2004.

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