kitchen police

American  

noun

Military.

1. soldiers detailed by roster or as punishment to assist in kitchen duties.

2. duty as assistant to the cooks. K.P.

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kitchen police British  

plural noun

1.  KP.  soldiers who have been detailed to work in the kitchen, esp as a punishment

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Etymology

Origin of kitchen police

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

kitchen police

Jimmy Durante got himself made "honorary brigadier general" and honorary head of kitchen police, at Camp Langdon, N.H.

From Time Magazine Archive

One or two privates are detailed daily as kitchen police.

From Manual for Noncommissioned Officers and Privates of Infantry of the Army of the United States, 1917 To be used by Engineer companies (dismounted) and Coast Artillery companies for Infantry instruction and training by United States War Department

Men detailed as cooks and waiters, or "kitchen police," as they are denominated in the posts, attended to the preparation and serving of the meals, and the soldiers lived well, indeed.

From Our War with Spain for Cuba's Freedom by Trumbull White

The line is especially long on mornings when they know we are in for two hours of “settin’-ups” or when some especially hard detail such as camp orderly or kitchen police has been handed out.

From Conscript 2989 Experiences of a Drafted Man by Irving Crump

There were a few details, such as sweeping the cars, kitchen police or serving the meals "de luxe" to the boys, but the old beloved guard detail was not left to the privates.

From History of Ambulance Company Number 139 by Various