Patrol

Patrol

Noun & Verb · /pəˈtrəʊl/ · to move around an area watching for trouble

Definition

Verb: To move regularly through or around an area to guard it, maintain order, or observe. Noun: The act of patrolling, or the group of people who patrol. A police patrol, a border patrol, a night patrol — each describes both the activity and the team performing it.

Origin

From French patrouiller (to patrol, originally to paddle or tramp through mud), which derived from patte (paw). The original image was of soldiers trudging through muddy terrain on watch. Entered English in the mid-seventeenth century during military conflicts. The word evolved from its muddy, physical origin into the clean, professional sense it carries today — systematic movement through territory for security or observation purposes.