constable

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Related to Constables: police constables

con·sta·ble

(kŏn′stə-bəl, kŭn′-)

1. A peace officer with less authority and smaller jurisdiction than a sheriff, empowered to serve writs and warrants and make arrests.

2. A medieval officer of high rank, usually serving as military commander in the absence of a monarch.

3. The governor of a royal castle.

4. Chiefly British A police officer.

[Middle English, from Old French conestable, from Late Latin comes stabulī, officer of the stable : Latin comes, officer, companion; see ei- in Indo-European roots + Latin stabulī, genitive of stabulum, stable; see stā- in Indo-European roots.]

con′sta·ble·ship′ n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

constable

(ˈkʌnstəbəl; ˌkɒn-)

1. (Law) (in Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, etc) a police officer of the lowest rank

2. (Law) any of various officers of the peace, esp one who arrests offenders, serves writs, etc

3. the keeper or governor of a royal castle or fortress

4. (Historical Terms) (in medieval Europe) the chief military officer and functionary of a royal household, esp in France and England

5. (Historical Terms) an officer of a hundred in medieval England, originally responsible for raising the military levy but later assigned other administrative duties

[C13: from Old French, from Late Latin comes stabulī officer in charge of the stable, from Latin comes comrade + stabulum dwelling, stable; see also count²]

ˈconstableˌship n

Constable

(ˈkʌnstəbəl)

(Biography) John. 1776–1837, English landscape painter, noted particularly for his skill in rendering atmospheric effects of changing light

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

con•sta•ble

(ˈkɒn stə bəl; esp. Brit. ˈkʌn-)

n.

1. an officer of the peace in a town or township, having minor police and judicial functions.

2. (in Great Britain and some Commonwealth countries) a police officer, esp. of the lowest rank.

3. an officer of high rank in medieval monarchies.

4. the keeper or governor of a royal fortress or castle.

[1200–50; Middle English conestable < Anglo-French, Old French < Late Latin comes stabulī count² of the stable¹]

Con•sta•ble

(ˈkʌn stə bəl, ˈkɒn-)

n.

John, 1776–1837, English painter.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun	1.	constable - a lawman with less authority and jurisdiction than a sheriff law officer, lawman, peace officer - an officer of the law
	2.	Constable - English landscape painter (1776-1837) John Constable
	3.	constable - a police officer of the lowest rank police constable Britain, Great Britain, U.K., UK, United Kingdom, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - a monarchy in northwestern Europe occupying most of the British Isles; divided into England and Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland; `Great Britain' is often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom police officer, policeman, officer - a member of a police force; "it was an accident, officer"

constable

noun

Chiefly British. A member of a law-enforcement agency:

bluecoat, finest, officer, patrolman, patrolwoman, peace officer, police, policeman, police officer, policewoman.

Informal: cop, law.

Slang: bull, copper, flatfoot, fuzz, gendarme, heat, man (often uppercase).

Chiefly British: bobby, peeler.

Translations

شُرطي بَريطاني

strážník

politibetjent

Polizist Polizistin Schutzmann

alguacil

agent agent de police connétable gendarme

löggæslumaîur

polizia di distretto poliziotto

policijapolicininkas

policists

politibetjent politikonstabel

констебль

strážnik

stražnik

konstapel

polis memuru

治安官警察

constable

[ˈkʌnstəbl] N (Brit) (also police constable) → agente mf de policía, policía mf; (as form of address) → señor(a) policía

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

constable

[ˈkɒnstəb^əl] n (British) → agent m de police, gendarme m chief constable

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

constable

n (Brit: = police constable) → Polizist(in) m(f); (in address) → Herr Wachtmeister, Frau Wachtmeisterin

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

constable

[ˈkʌnstəbl] n (Brit) (also police constable) → agente m/f (di polizia)

constable

(ˈkanstəbl) , ((American) ˈka:n-) noun

a policeman, especially one not of high rank.

conˈstabulary (-ˈstӕbju-) noun – plural conˈstabularies –

a police force.

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

Thus communing within himself, he called his constables together and told them what was in his mind.

View in context

A party of constables with their staves followed the sheriff, preceding Marmaduke and four plain, grave-looking yeomen, who were his associates on the bench.

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They had called a constable, and he stood in the shop as my jailer; and in talking with the constable I inquired where he lived, and what trade he was; the man not apprehending in the least what happened afterwards, readily told me his name, and trade, and where he lived; and told me as a jest, that I might be sure to hear of his name when I came to the Old Bailey.

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Rather, from the strange fact that the robber had left no traces, and had happened to know the nick of time, utterly incalculable by mortal agents, when Silas would go away from home without locking his door, the more probable conclusion seemed to be, that his disreputable intimacy in that quarter, if it ever existed, had been broken up, and that, in consequence, this ill turn had been done to Marner by somebody it was quite in vain to set the constable after.

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Between the brother and sister he remained in this posture, quite unresisting and passive, until Mr Swiveller returned, with a police constable at his heels.

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"Maybe you are an' maybe you ain't," said the constable; "but you can tell all that to Judge Neusbaumer in the mornin'."

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Snagsby descends and finds the two 'prentices intently contemplating a police constable, who holds a ragged boy by the arm.

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Giles, the tinker (who had received a special invitation to regale himself for the remainder of the day, in consideration of his services), and the constable. The latter gentleman had a large staff, a large head, large features, and large half-boots; and he looked as if he had been taking a proportionate allowance of ale--as indeed he had.

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Just as he arrived at Mr Allworthy's outward gate, he met the constable and company with Molly in their possession, whom they were conducting to that house where the inferior sort of people may learn one good lesson, viz., respect and deference to their superiors; since it must show them the wide distinction Fortune intends between those persons who are to be corrected for their faults, and those who are not; which lesson if they do not learn, I am afraid they very rarely learn any other good lesson, or improve their morals, at the house of correction.

View in context

Justice Robinson entered, followed by Buckstone and the town constable, Jim Blake.

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"Look at this," marvelled the constable. "It's a wonder to me they didn't make off with your things while you were waiting."

View in context

On enquiry we found that the constable was in bed, and we were shown into a little front parlour to await his coming.