PATROL (patrolled, patrolling)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected forms: patrolled    , patrolling   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does patrol mean? 

• PATROL (noun)
  The noun PATROL has 3 senses:

1. a detachment used for security or reconnaissance

2. the activity of going around or through an area at regular intervals for security purposes

3. a group that goes through a region at regular intervals for the purpose of security

  Familiarity information: PATROL used as a noun is uncommon.

• PATROL (verb)
  The verb PATROL has 1 sense:

1. maintain the security of by carrying out a patrol

  Familiarity information: PATROL used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PATROL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A detachment used for security or reconnaissance

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Hypernyms ("patrol" is a kind of...):

detachment (a small unit of troops of special composition)

Derivation:

patrol (maintain the security of by carrying out a patrol)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The activity of going around or through an area at regular intervals for security purposes

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("patrol" is a kind of...):

protection (the activity of protecting someone or something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "patrol"):

airborne patrol (a patrol provided by aircraft)

round-the-clock patrol (a continuous nonstop patrol)

Derivation:

patrol (maintain the security of by carrying out a patrol)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A group that goes through a region at regular intervals for the purpose of security

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Hypernyms ("patrol" is a kind of...):

force; personnel (group of people willing to obey orders)

Meronyms (members of "patrol"):

patroller (someone on patrol duty; an individual or a member of a group that patrols an area)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "patrol"):

border patrol (a group of officers who patrol the borders of a country)

harbor patrol (patrol of officers who police a harbor area)

Derivation:

patrol (maintain the security of by carrying out a patrol)

• PATROL (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they patrol    ... he / she / it patrols   
Past simple: patrolled   
Past participle: patrolled   
-ing form: patrolling   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Maintain the security of by carrying out a patrol

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

patrol; police

Hypernyms (to "patrol" is one way to...):

guard (to keep watch over)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence examples:

The men patrol the area for animals
The men patrol for animals in the area

Derivation:

patrol (the activity of going around or through an area at regular intervals for security purposes)

patrol (a detachment used for security or reconnaissance)

patrol (a group that goes through a region at regular intervals for the purpose of security)

patroller (someone on patrol duty; an individual or a member of a group that patrols an area)

 Context examples 

As we went further, we met fewer and fewer people, till at last we were somewhat surprised when we met even the patrol of horse police going their usual suburban round.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

The Tambor-class submarine U.S.S. Grayback encountered a Japanese Nakajima b5N carrier bomber while returning from its tenth patrol in late February 1944.

(Lost 52 Project announces discovery of wrecked sub near Okinawa, Wikinews)

Occasional light airs were felt, however, and Wolf Larsen patrolled the poop constantly, his eyes ever searching the sea to the north-eastward, from which direction the great trade-wind must blow.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

Cellular Tumor Suppression is thought to involve elimination of cells that have undergone malignant transformation by patrolling cytotoxic T cells, NK cells, and macrophages due to recognition of altered cell surface antigens on the cancer cells.

(Cellular Tumor Suppression, NCI Thesaurus)

In the course of his nightly patrols, he had long grown accustomed to the quaint effect with which the footfalls of a single person, while he is still a great way off, suddenly spring out distinct from the vast hum and clatter of the city.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Quincey Morris said nothing about his intention, but I knew that all night long he patrolled round and round the house.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

He went to and fro, as if patrolling the house, and was never out of sight of the room where Lucy lay in her coffin, strewn with the wild garlic flowers, which sent, through the odour of lily and rose, a heavy, overpowering smell into the night.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)