FromMiddle Englishconstable,cunstable,constabil,connestable,cunestable, fromOld Frenchconestable, fromLatincomes stabulī(“officer of the stables”). For the sense-development; comparemarshal.Doublet ofconnétable.
constable (pluralconstables)
- One holding the lowest rank in most Commonwealthpolice forces. (See alsochief constable.)
1963,Margery Allingham, chapter 19, inThe China Governess: A Mystery, London:Chatto & Windus,→OCLC:As soon as Julia returned with aconstable, Timothy, who was on the point of exhaustion, prepared to give over to him gratefully. The newcomer turned out to be a powerful youngster, fully trained and eager to help, and he stripped off his tunic at once.
- (UK, law) Apolice officer or an officer with equivalent powers.
- (historical) An officer of a noble court in theMiddle Ages, usually a senior army commander. (See alsomarshal).
- Thewarden of acastle.
- (US) Anelected orappointed public officer, usually at municipal level, responsible for maintaining order or servingwrits andcourt orders.
- (Channel Islands) An elected head of aparish (also known as aconnétable)
- A largebutterfly,Dichorragia nesimachus, familyNymphalidae, of Asia.
a police officer or an officer with equivalent powers
constable (third-person singular simple presentconstables,present participleconstabling,simple past and past participleconstabled)
- (intransitive, dated) To act as a constable or policeman.
constable m orfby sense (pluralconstables)
- constable(police title)
Borrowed fromOld Frenchconestable; comparecounte(“count”),stable(“stable”).
- IPA(key): /kun(ə)ˈstaːblə/,/kun(ə)ˈstaːbəl/
- (reduced)IPA(key): /ˈkun(ə)stablə/,/ˈkun(ə)stabəl/
constable (pluralconstables)
- constable(highcommander orofficer of a medievalrealm)
- constable(warden of acastle)
