provost marshal

[proh-voh]

noun

Army. an officer on the staff of a commander, charged with the maintaining of order and with other police functions within a command.
Navy. an officer charged with the safekeeping of a prisoner pending trial by court-martial.

Origin of provost marshal

First recorded in 1525–35

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for provost marshal

Historical Examples of provost marshal

The provost-marshal's eyes are glittering, and his face is set and eager.
A War-Time Wooing
Charles King
He had found the Provost-Marshal's office, and proceeded to conduct us thither.
Daring and Suffering:
William Pittenger
I have some trouble about provost-marshal in your first district.
The Papers And Writings Of Abraham Lincoln, Volume Six
Abraham Lincoln
The prisoners were taken before the British provost-marshal to be examined.
Harper's Young People, February 24, 1880
Various
The provost-marshal retired, satisfied with the precautions he had taken.
The Young Lieutenant
Oliver Optic

British Dictionary definitions for provost marshal

provost marshal

noun

the officer in charge of military police and thus responsible for military discipline in a large camp, area, or city

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012