intelligence office

An intelligence office helps families find reliable domestic workers.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • An agency that collects information: "intelligence office" refers to a government or military bureau responsible for gathering, analyzing, and disseminating secret or strategic information, often related to national security.
   • An employment agency (archaic): Historically, "intelligence office" also meant a business that helped find servants or workers for households, acting as a job placement service.

Usage Examples

• Agency collecting information:

  • The intelligence office received reports about the enemy's movements. (The bureau gathered strategic data.)
  • She worked for a foreign intelligence office, decoding messages. (She was employed in a spy agency.)

• Employment agency (archaic):

  • In the 19th century, many families used an intelligence office to hire maids. (A job placement service for domestic help.)
  • He visited an intelligence office to find a position as a butler. (An old-fashioned employment agency.)

Advanced Usage

• "intelligence office as a euphemism": In historical contexts, the term was sometimes used to avoid the direct mention of spying or espionage.

  • The newspaper discreetly referred to the spy network as an "intelligence office." (A mild term for a secret agency.)

• "intelligence office vs. intelligence bureau": While often synonymous, "office" suggests a smaller or localized branch, whereas "bureau" implies a larger, more formal organization.

  • The intelligence office in the capital reported directly to the national bureau. (A local branch versus the central headquarters.)

Variants and Related Words

• Intelligence (n): the ability to acquire and apply knowledge; also, secret information.

  • Her intelligence was crucial for the mission. (Her mental sharpness was key.)

• Office (n): a room or building where administrative work is done.

  • The office was filled with maps and reports. (The physical location of work.)

Synonyms

• Espionage agency: an organization that conducts spying activities.
• Secret service: a government department responsible for security and intelligence.
• Employment bureau (archaic): a historical term for a job placement agency.

Related Idioms

• To run an intelligence office: To operate a spy agency or (archaic) an employment service.

  • He ran an intelligence office that supplied both maids and covert information. (He managed a dual-purpose agency.)

• To be in the intelligence office: To work in espionage or (archaic) in job placement.

  • She was in the intelligence office, handling sensitive documents. (She was employed in a spy bureau.)