constable
See also: Constable
English
Etymology
From Middle English constable, cunstable, constabil, connestable, cunestable, from Old French conestable, from Latin comes stabulī (“officer of the stables”). For the sense-development, compare marshal.
Noun
constable (plural constables)
- One holding the lowest rank in most Commonwealth police forces. (See also chief constable.)
- 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 19, in The China Governess:
- As soon as Julia returned with a constable, Timothy, who was on the point of exhaustion, prepared to give over to him gratefully. The newcomer turned out to be a powerful youngster, fully trained and eager to help, and he stripped off his tunic at once.
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- (Britain, law) A police officer or an officer with equivalent powers.
- (historical) An officer of a noble court in the Middle Ages, usually a senior army commander. (See also marshal).
- The warden of a castle.
- (US) A public officer, usually at municipal level, responsible for maintaining order or serving writs and court orders.
- (Channel Islands) An elected head of a parish (also known as a connétable)
- (entomology) A large butterfly, Dichorragia nesimachus, family Nymphalidae, of Asia.
Synonyms
Derived terms
- constabulary
- cst. / CST (abbreviation)
Translations
police officer rank
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officer of a noble court
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elected head of a parish
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Verb
constable (third-person singular simple present constables, present participle constabling, simple past and past participle constabled)
- (intransitive, dated) To act as a constable or policeman.
Anagrams
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