peace-officer

A peace-officer helps a lost child find their parent.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A civil officer whose duty is to preserve public peace and order: "peace-officer" refers to a law enforcement official, such as a police officer or sheriff, whose primary role is to maintain peace, prevent crime, and enforce laws within a specific jurisdiction.

Usage Examples

• (A law enforcement official responsible for maintaining order.)
• (An officer called to restore public peace.)

Advanced Usage

• "to act as a peace-officer": to perform the duties of maintaining public order.

  • During the festival, volunteers were trained to act as peace-officers. (Volunteers took on the role of keeping peace.)

• "peace-officer jurisdiction": the legal authority or area within which a peace-officer operates.

  • The peace-officer's jurisdiction covers the entire county. (The officer's legal authority extends across the county.)

Variants and Related Words

• Peace (n): a state of tranquility or absence of conflict.

  • The peace-officer works to preserve peace in the community. (The officer maintains a state of calm.)

• Officer (n): a person holding a position of authority, especially in law enforcement or the military.

  • The peace-officer is a type of officer. (A person in a position of authority.)

Synonyms

• Law enforcement officer: a person employed to enforce laws and maintain order.
• Police officer: a member of a police force.
• Constable: a peace-officer with limited authority, often in a rural area.

Related Idioms

• "To keep the peace": to maintain order and prevent disturbances.

  • The peace-officer's main duty is to keep the peace. (To preserve public order.)

• "To disturb the peace": to cause a public disruption or disorder.

  • Anyone who disturbs the peace may be arrested by a peace-officer. (Causing a disruption that requires law enforcement intervention.)