police action
3
7.6
- noun
- /pəˈlis ˈækʃən/
- Jargon
:
acción policial
- Acting in concert with our United Nations allies, we are engaged in a police action to counteract a bandit raid into South Korea by North Korean Communists.
- international police action
Examples
-
The public outcry and protests that followed the police action led to the removal of Songaila.
Academic text (1990) -
In Rogers Park, the solutions involved simultaneous police action and negotiations with local landlords, proprietors, and the telephone company.
Academic text (2001) -
Opinion polls showed considerable public support for the police action.
Academic text (1997) -
What does Truman mean by calling this a "police action"?
-
It was the deadliest police action so far in post-apartheid South Africa.
Blog text (10) -
In response to the invasion, the U.N. authorized a police action to restore peace in the region.
-
The government labeled the military intervention as a police action to avoid declaring war officially.
-
During the conflict, the United States conducted a police action aimed at protecting its allies.
Synonyms
105
3.7
An action by soldiers that involves fighting
56
3.7
A planned action by armed forces to achieve a goal
7
4.1
A military operation where soldiers go to keep peace between fighting groups or countries under United Nations order
6
4.2
A military mission to stop fighting and make an area calm between groups or countries
How Forceful
476
4.3
- Specialized
1
7.1
- Jargon
3
7.6
10
6.3
- Formal
76
2.8
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase combines 'police' (maintain order/enforce rules) and 'action' (an operation), so a B1 learner would likely infer it refers to an operation taken to restore or maintain order. However, the specialized diplomatic/ military sense — a limited military operation without a formal war declaration — and the euphemistic usage are not fully predictable from the constituents, making the meaning only partially transparent.
Etymology
Police action may come from leaders calling a small military move a police action to make it sound like keeping order rather than a full 'war'. That's why it now means a limited use of force done without officially saying 'we are at war'.