plainclothesman
Americannoun
-
plainclothesmen
plural
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of plainclothesman
First recorded in 1925–30; plain clothes + man
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
After he became a plainclothesman he sprouted a beard.
From Time Magazine Archive
Three weeks ago, a plainclothesman knocked on his door and informed him that he must leave Poland by the end of the month.
From Time Magazine Archive
MVD plainclothesman rushed the Burmese soldier to try to stop the picture.
From Time Magazine Archive
Phillips testified that he knew of no plainclothesman assigned to gambling who was not on the take after two months.
From Time Magazine Archive
“How come they don’t get a plainclothesman after women like that?”
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
A squad of plainclothesmen that happened to be nearby was ordered to respond to the call.
From US News ● Aug. 8, 2014
Thousands of police in riot gear were deployed to protect cinemas with plainclothesmen also inside the halls.
From Reuters ● Feb. 12, 2010
Following close behind was an unmarked Chevy Caprice chase car with two armed plainclothesmen.
From Time Magazine Archive
Among certain elite units of plainclothesmen and detectives that are responsible for investigating such areas as gambling and narcotics, the report is expected to say, the corruption rate is between 99% and 100%.
From Time Magazine Archive
While the plainclothesmen had been coming in at night, she had been too worried and preoccupied to attend to this project for George.
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
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.
