master-at-arms

master-at-arms (plural masters-at-arms)

1. (Britain, Navy) A warrant officer or chief petty officer responsible for discipline aboard a naval ship.
   • 1922 February, James Joyce, Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare & Co.; Sylvia Beach, OCLC 560090630; republished London: Published for the Egoist Press, London by John Rodker, Paris, October 1922, OCLC 2297483:

     Episode 12, The Cyclops

     Then he was telling us the master at arms comes along with a long cane and he draws out and he flogs the bloody backside off of the poor lad till he yells meila murder.

2. (Britain, Army) A commissioned officer responsible for overseeing all fitness training in subordinate units.
3. (US, Navy) A petty officer responsible for law enforcement, antiterrorism, force protection, and expeditionary warfare.
4. An officer in a fraternal or similar organization charged with maintaining order.

• Jaunty