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Glite Dictionary
United States Secret Service

United States Secret Service

2 3.7
A government group that protects the US president, vice president, their families, visiting leaders, and stops people making fake money
  • proper noun
  • /juːˈnaɪtɪd steɪts ˈsiːkrɪt ˈsɜːrvɪs/
  • Formal
translation icon : Servicio Secreto de los Estados Unidos
  • The new recruits began their training with the United States Secret Service to learn about protecting dignitaries.
  • United States Secret Service agents

Examples

  • The authors would like to thank the United States Secret Service and the Diplomatic Security Service for their cooperation and kind assistance.

    Academic text (2007)

  • This is Special Agent Sterling from the United States Secret Service.

    Rush Hour 2 (2001)

  • I'm an undercover agent for the United States Secret Service.

    Rush Hour 2 (2001)

  • From this moment on, you're officially working... ...for the United States Secret Service.

    Rush Hour 2 (2001)

  • We are working closely with the United States Secret Service, and at this time there is no evidence that our systems have been compromised or that there was any unauthorized access to the data in question.

    Blog text (27)

  • Mr. Zapruder, I'm Forrest Sorrels, Special Agent in charge of the Dallas district of the United States Secret Service.

    Parkland (2013)

  • After the incident, the United States Secret Service increased security for the president's public appearances.

  • Members of the United States Secret Service were assigned to ensure the safety of the visiting foreign leaders.

Synonyms

Secret Service
vsUnited States Secret Service
  • US
381 3.4

A United States government group that protects the president and vice president and investigates fake money

uses a more specific federal label rather than the general government name
SS
vsUnited States Secret Service
  • US
34 6.6

A US agency that protects the president and investigates counterfeit money

is the longer official wording rather than the brief abbreviated form
US Secret Service
vsUnited States Secret Service
1 3.4

A United States government agency that protects the president, other top officials, and investigates money crimes

focuses mainly on protecting current officeholders rather than past leaders
USSS
vsUnited States Secret Service
1 6.1

A U.S. government agency that protects leaders and stops fake money

is the agency's full official name rather than the short abbreviation

Surface Forms

United States Secret Service main

Morphology

united + state + secret + service

The name is largely compositional: 'United States' pins it to the country and 'Secret Service' conveys a government service that operates covertly, so learners can infer it is a US security or intelligence agency. However, the specific institutional remit (protecting the president and combating counterfeiting/financial fraud) is detailed, conventional knowledge not fully predictable from the words alone, making the expression only partially transparent.

Etymology

The United States Secret Service started as a small group set up to catch people who made fake money, so they were like 'secret' agents serving the nation. Later they were also given the job to 'protect' the president and other visiting leaders, which is why today they both investigate money crimes and guard important people.