Dictionary.com

Popular Searches

 Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

police action

American  

noun

  1. a relatively localized military action undertaken by regular armed forces, without a formal declaration of war, against guerrillas, insurgents, or other forces held to be violating international peace and order.

Etymology

Origin of police action

First recorded in 1880–85

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.

What about the ubiquitous cellphones, with which members of the public—sometimes hostile to the cops—record police actions?

From The Wall Street Journal

Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes has summoned Governor Castro to a hearing on Monday to explain the police actions "in detail".

From BBC

“All persons in the area have 15 minutes to comply. If you remain in the area you may be subject to arrest or other police action.”

From Los Angeles Times

A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police said: "As a result of the judgement, the individuals in question will face no further police action."

From BBC

A spokesperson said: "No injuries were reported. No complaint was made, and suitable advice was given. No further police action is required."

From BBC

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.