master-at-arms

American  

[mas-ter-uht-ahrmz, mah-ster-] / ˈmæs tər ətˈɑrmz, ˈmɑ stər- /

noun

plural

masters-at-arms

1. an officer of a fraternal organization, veterans' society, or the like, empowered to maintain order, exclude unauthorized persons, etc. MAA

2. Navy. a petty officer who has various duties, such as keeping order on the ship, taking charge of prisoners, etc. MAA

---

master-at-arms British  

noun

1. the senior rating, of Chief Petty Officer rank, in a naval unit responsible for discipline, administration, and police duties

---

Etymology

Origin of master-at-arms

First recorded in 1740–50

Example Sentences

I thought, “The one condemned to death is the master-at-arms because he has lost everything, his reason to live.”

From Los Angeles Times

The crash injured the man and a Navy master-at-arms.

From Seattle Times

He’d grown up seeing his dad on telly – Casualty one night, The Bill the next – and the big screen, notably as the master-at-arms in James Cameron’s Titanic.

From The Guardian

“It’s alive, you know,” says the master-at-arms—a seasoned crewman in charge of the cannon, with unpleasant tattoos up and down his arms.

From Literature

Denison, a master-at-arms senior chief now stationed in South Korea, was recognized with a Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his response to the shooting, as were two dozen others.

From Washington Post