plainclothes
6
4.2
- adjective
- /ˈpleɪnˌkloʊðz/
:
de paisano
- The plainclothes detective blended in with the bystanders to gather information discreetly.
- plainclothes police
Examples
-
We have no desire to upset her unnecessarily, so it was felt that any questions should be asked by plainclothes policemen.
Fiction book (1996) -
About a dozen plainclothes policemen are in the big room.
Fiction book (1992) -
This is a plainclothes operation.
-
The other two are plainclothes forces: the federal police and the civil police.
Academic text (1999) -
Plainclothes officers have arrived on the scene.
-
We'll have one of the plainclothes lads come and talk to you tomorrow.
Fiction book (1996) -
A plainclothes officer with the Easton police, or somebody from New Jersey?
Fiction book (2002) -
Another plainclothes cop approaches Marvosa as he puts some change in the machine.
Fiction book (1995) -
In the half hour that followed, I stood with my nose pressed against the window, watching as the plainclothes policemen went about their work.
Fiction book (2002) -
The second force, the Policia Civil, is a plainclothes organization with a largely investigatory function.
Academic text (1996)
Synonyms
33
3.4
Wearing clothes or a costume to hide who you really are
1
6.6
Not wearing the usual clothes for a job or group
Not wearing a special uniform that staff usually wear
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Plainclothes comes from the simple English parts plain ('ordinary') and clothes ('clothing'), so it literally means 'wearing ordinary clothes instead of a uniform'. That's why we call someone plainclothes when they dress to blend in, especially if they are a police officer trying not to be recognized.