n.
- a person or group sent to keep watch over an area, especially a detachment of guards or police.
▸a unit of six to eight Scouts or Guides forming part of a troop.
- the action of patrolling an area.
- an expedition to carry out reconnaissance.
▸a routine operational voyage of a ship or aircraft.
v.
(patrols, patrolling, patrolled)
keep watch over (an area) by regularly walking or travelling around it.
Derivative
Etymology
C17: from Ger. Patrolle, from Fr. patrouille, from patrouiller ‘paddle in mud’, from patte ‘paw’ + dial. (gad)rouille ‘dirty water’.