(mostly, Caribbean) A police officer.
(mostly, Caribbean) A police officer.
"constab" means: A police officer.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
"constab" means: A police officer.. This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Slang from Black American Vernacular English (AAVE), hip-hop, drag and ballroom culture, the Caribbean, and NYC street vocabulary. The single largest source of new mainstream English slang in living memory.
See all Black culture & AAVE slang on Slangora.
(UK, law) A police officer or an officer with equivalent powers.
One holding the lowest rank in most Commonwealth police forces. (See also chief constable.).
(UK, slang) Such a police officer.
(usually, _, plural only) The staff of such a department or agency, particularly its officers; (regional, chiefly, US, Caribbean, Jamaica, Scotland, countable) an individual police officer.
"constab" means: A police officer.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. Note the regional or dialect label (Caribbean) — usage may sound odd outside that variety. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.
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(South Africa, historical, slang) A newly deputized constable in the South African police during the last days of apartheid; they were noted for their zealousness and lack of procedure. Their official name was special policeman.