patrol

Meanings

Noun

• 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.
• 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.
• The guards who go the rounds for observation; a detachment whose duty it is to patrol.
• The largest division of officers within a police department or sheriff's office, whose assignment is to patrol and respond to calls for service.
• Any perambulation of a particular line or district to guard it; also, the people thus guarding.
• A unit of a troop, usually defined by certain ranks or age groups within the troop, and ideally comprised of six to eight members.

Verb

• To go the rounds along a chain of sentinels; to traverse a police district or beat.
• To go the rounds of, as a sentry, guard, or policeman

Origin

• From French patrouille, from Old French patrouille, patouille, from patrouiller, patouiller, patoiller, from patte, pate, from Vulgar Latin *patta ("paw, foot"), from Frankish *patta, from Proto-Germanic *paþjaną, *paþōną, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pent-, *(s)pat-, a variant of Proto-Indo-European *pent-, *pat-; see find. Cognate with Dutch pad, patte, Low German pedden ("to step, tread"), German patschen ("to splash, smack, dabble, waddle"), German Patsche ("a swatter, beater, paw, puddle, mire"). Related to pad, path.
• From French patrouiller, from Old French patrouiller, from patte