PATROL

patrol

(noun) the activity of going around or through an area at regular intervals for security purposes

patrol

(noun) a detachment used for security or reconnaissance

patrol

(noun) a group that goes through a region at regular intervals for the purpose of security

patrol, police

(verb) maintain the security of by carrying out a patrol

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology 1

Noun

patrol (countable and uncountable, plural patrols)

(military) A going of the rounds along the chain of sentinels and between the posts, by a guard, usually consisting of three or four men, to insure greater security from attacks on the outposts.

(military) A movement, by a small body of troops beyond the line of outposts, to explore the country and gain intelligence of the enemy's whereabouts.

(military) The guards who go the rounds for observation; a detachment whose duty it is to patrol.

Any perambulation of a particular line or district to guard it; also, the people thus guarding.

(Scouting) A unit of a troop, usually defined by certain ranks or age groups within the troop.

Etymology 2

Verb

patrol (third-person singular simple present patrols, present participle patrolling, simple past and past participle patrolled)

(intransitive) To go the rounds along a chain of sentinels; to traverse a police district or beat.

(transitive) To go the rounds of, as a sentry, guard, or policeman

Anagrams

• Portal, portal, pratol

Source: Wiktionary

Pa*trol", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Patrolled; p. pr. & vb. n. Patrolling.] Etym: [F. patrouiller, O. & Prov. F. patrouiller to paddle, paw about, patrol, fr. patte a paw; cf. D. poot paw, G. pfote, and E. pat, v.]

Definition: To go the rounds along a chain of sentinels; to traverse a police district or beat.

Pa*trol", v.

Definition: t To go the rounds of, as a sentry, guard, or policeman; as, to patrol a frontier; to patrol a beat.

Pa*trol", n. Etym: [F. patrouille, OF. patouille. See Patrol, v. i.]

1. (Mil.) (a) A going of the rounds along the chain of sentinels and between the posts, by a guard, usually consisting of three or four men, to insure greater security from attacks on the outposts. (b) A movement, by a small body of troops beyond the line of outposts, to explore the country and gain intelligence of the enemy's whereabouts. (c) The guard or men who go the rounds for observation; a detachment whose duty it is to patrol.

2. Any perambulation of a particular line or district to guard it; also, the men thus guarding; as, a customs patrol; a fire patrol. In France there is an army of patrols to secure her fiscal regulations. A. Hamilton.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition