an officer of the peace, having police and minor judicial functions, usually in a small town, rural district, etc.
Chiefly British. a police officer.
an officer of high rank in medieval monarchies, usually the commander of all armed forces, especially in the absence of the ruler.
the keeper or governor of a royal fortress or castle.
(in Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, etc) a police officer of the lowest rank
any of various officers of the peace, esp one who arrests offenders, serves writs, etc
the keeper or governor of a royal castle or fortress
(in medieval Europe) the chief military officer and functionary of a royal household, esp in France and England
an officer of a hundred in medieval England, originally responsible for raising the military levy but later assigned other administrative duties
1200–50; Middle English conestable < Anglo-French, Old French < Late Latin comes stabulī count 2 of the stable 1
A small-town police officer is sometimes known as a constable. If you live in an extremely tiny town, the constable may show up at your door when you dial 9-1-1 for help with a raccoon stuck in your chimney. In Britain and Canada, a constable is the lowest-ranking officer in a police force. It's less common in the U.S., and the word's exact meaning varies a bit from state to state. In some places, a constable is only authorized to serve subpoenas to people who are required to testify in court. Other constables have full law enforcement powers. The Latin root of constable is comes stabuli, "attendant to the stables."
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The report by the Police Leadership Commission, published on Monday, found the system for identifying and developing leaders was too weak, with chief constable roles in England and Wales often attracting a single suitable candidate.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
"The behaviour of England fans - and of course the Scots - has been excellent throughout the group stages of the World Cup," chief constable Mark Roberts, head of the UKFPU, said.
From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026
A detective constable told Newry Crown Court that Sir Jeffrey was interviewed for a total of four-and-a-half hours.
From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026
As the case dragged on and the flak kept coming, Police Scotland's then chief constable Sir Iain Livingstone said their "diligent, thorough and proportionate" criminal inquiry was looking at potential embezzlement.
From BBC ● May 25, 2026
“You wanted to?” echoed the constable, his eyes wide with disbelief.
From "Tuck Everlasting" by Natalie Babbit
An update to the Scottish Police Authority in the name of Chief Constable Jo Farrell described "a deeply concerning war between rivals" which had eventually come to an end for multiple reasons.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman said the priority "remains identifying those responsible and ensuring that all available evidence is thoroughly examined".
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
"She had sustained serious injuries," police Assistant Chief Constable Matt Longman told reporters, adding a 26-year-old white British man had been arrested in connection with Widdecombe's death.
From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026
Assistant Chief Constable Ian Drummond-Smith then called Esme and acknowledged that a 13-hour delay was far too long.
From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026
What’s more, unlike the paintings bequeathed to posterity by Constable or Rembrandt, his music has not ossified, frozen for ever in time.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
It also called for a new sergeant qualification to replace an "outdated" exam currently passed by fewer than half of candidates, as well as "urgent action to build a credible pipeline of future chief constables".
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
Badat worked on a challenge to DeSoto County districts that were used for the county’s board of supervisors, school board, election commission, county constables and their judges.
From Salon ● May 16, 2026
Special constables are volunteer police officers with the same powers, responsibilities and uniform as a regular officer.
From BBC ● Mar. 26, 2026
She added even though GBH was not chargeable by police and should be referred to the Crown Prosecution Service, police constables often dealt with "low level" incidents.
From BBC ● Mar. 2, 2026
He bribed ship captains and constables, rowed shivering pregnant women across rivers in leaky skiffs, and delivered judges’ release orders to frowning deputies.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
