police boat
3
3.0
- noun
- /pəˈlis boʊt/
:
patrullera
- We spotted a police boat approaching to assist with the stranded vessel.
- the police boat pulled
- the police boat got close
Examples
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A Prague police boat, siren wailing, arrives at the dock in front of the embassy.
Fiction book (1996) -
During the festival, the police boat was used to ensure safety on the water.
-
Just remember, a police boat can get from the station to our position in seven.
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Some of them wait till they see the police boat, thinking they might be saved, but the current gets most of them.
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A police boat closes in on them.
Fiction book (1997) -
The police boat's heading your way.
-
There's a police boat coming too.
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Suddenly, we see the police boat breaking through the fog, then disappearing again.
Fiction book (2002) -
I didn't need to look: I recognized the sound of a police boat horn.
Fiction book (1999) -
The police boat patrolled the harbor to ensure everyone followed maritime regulations.
Synonyms
7
3.5
A small boat that watches for danger and protects a coast or harbor
4
3.7
A ship used by the navy or coast guard to watch and protect the sea
1
5.2
A boat that watches and protects a harbor or ships
A small boat that patrols and watches for danger near a harbor or fleet
How Big
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a boat operated by the police' is directly and compositionally built from 'police' (law-enforcement organization) + 'boat' (watercraft). This straightforward noun–noun compound follows a common cross-linguistic pattern, so an average B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Police boat is a simple picture: a police team working on a boat to watch the water, help people, and stop rule breakers. So, police boat means 'a boat operated by the police' used to patrol harbors and enforce rules on the water.