patrol

American  

[puh-trohl] / pəˈtroʊl /

verb (used without object)

patrolled, patrolling

1. (of a police officer, soldier, etc.) to pass along a road, beat, etc., or around or through a specified area in order to maintain order and security.

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verb (used with object)

patrolled, patrolling

1. to maintain the order and security of (a road, beat, area, etc.) by passing along or through it.

noun

1. a person or group of persons assigned to patrol an area, road, etc.

2. an automobile, ship, plane, squadron, fleet, etc., assigned to patrol an area.

3. Military. a detachment of two or more persons, often a squad or platoon, detailed for reconnaissance or combat.

4. the act of patrolling.

5. patrol wagon.

6. (in the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts) a subdivision of a troop, usually consisting of about eight members.

patrol British  

/ pəˈtrəʊl /

noun

1. the action of going through or around a town, neighbourhood, etc, at regular intervals for purposes of security or observation

2. a person or group that carries out such an action

3. a military detachment with the mission of security, gathering information, or combat with enemy forces

4. a division of a troop of Scouts or Guides

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verb

1. to engage in a patrol of (a place)

Other Word Forms

• patroller noun
• repatrol verb (used with object)
• unpatrolled adjective
• well-patrolled adjective

Etymology

Origin of patrol

1655–65; < French patrouille (noun), patrouiller (v.) patrol, originally a pawing (noun), to paw (v.) in mud; derivative (with suffixal -ouille ) of patte paw; -r- unexplained

Example Sentences

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization hoped its increased patrols in the Baltic Sea would prevent the sabotage of underwater cables.

From The Wall Street Journal

Firefighters used an excavator to remove broken glass and gnarled metal strewn across the site as policemen with pump-action rifles patrolled on motorbike to prevent looting.

From Barron's

RAF aircraft have carried out patrols over Syria to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of IS following its defeat at the battle of Baghuz in 2019, the ministry said.

From BBC

Network Rail said snow patrol locomotives had been running on the Highland Main Line, Aberdeen-Inverness and Far North Lines but said the weather and road conditions for its response teams were treacherous.

From BBC

Less than a minute later, at 1:32 am, the first police patrols arrived on the scene.

From Barron's

Related Words

• cruise
• inspect
• safeguard