Old Bill
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Forms: form: the Old Bill
Etymology: Unknown. Suggested sources for the police officer and police force terms include:
#Old Bill, comic character created by Bruce Bairnsfather.
#Music hall song "Won't you come home, Bill Bailey", which references the Old Bailey criminal court.
#William IV (reigned 1830-37), who became king the year after the Metropolitan Police were founded (1829).
#Wilhelm I, Prussian Kaiser who visited the UK around the same time the custodian helmet was adopted (1863).
#bill (“cutting instrument”) or billhook, weapons carried by constables of the watch.
#bill (“written note of services rendered”), allegedly presented by a police officer to solicit a bribe.
#bill (“draft of a law”), laid in Parliament.
#Number plates for all public services, including police, registered by London County Council with the letter "BYL".
##Specifically, the cars of the Flying Squad.
#Bill Smith, a popular police sergeant in Limehouse circa 1860s.
Senses: topics: government
law-enforcement
synonyms: word: bobby
word: PC Plod
word: rozzer
word: 5-O
word: alphabet
word: barney
word: beatsman
word: bizzie
word: bluebottle
word: bluecoat
word: blue heeler
word: blue meanie
word: bobby
word: body snatcher
word: bogey
word: boy in blue
word: bull
word: bullyman
word: buttons
word: centenier
word: charpering omi
word: chazzer
word: cobbler
word: cop
word: copper
word: cozzer
word: cracker
word: crusher
word: crowns
word: dibble
word: fed
word: filth
word: finest
word: finger
word: five-o
word: flatfoot
word: flatty
word: fuzz
word: garda
word: gendarme
word: glowie
word: guardian of the peace
word: harman
word: harman-beck
word: jack
word: jackboot
word: jake
word: John Law
word: John Q. Law
word: Johnny Hopper
word: lawman
word: mee-maw
word: monarch
word: Mr Plod
word: mutton shunter
word: nuthook
word: oinker
word: Officer Friendly
word: Old Bill
word: PC Plod
word: pig
word: piggy
word: peeler
word: plod
word: police
word: police officer
word: policeman
word: policeperson
word: polis
word: po-po
word: raw lobster
word: roller
word: rozzer
word: scufter
word: slop
word: swine
word: statie
word: twelve
word: tyre biter
word: unboiled lobster
word: walloper
word: wooden-top
glosses: A police officer.
synonyms: word: Bill
word: esclop
word: plod
word: 5-O
word: Babylon
word: bacon
word: Big Blue Machine
word: Bill
word: boydem
word: constabulary
word: dibble
word: donut patrol
word: ducks and geese
word: ecilop
word: esclop
word: feds
word: filth
word: five-o
word: fuzz
word: garda
word: gardai
word: gendarmerie
word: heat
word: law
word: monarch
word: Old Bill
word: piglice
word: plod
word: po-po
word: police
word: police department
word: police force
word: police service
word: polis
word: thin blue line
word: any plural synonym of police officer
qualifier: frequently with the
glosses: The police force.
synonyms: word: squaddie
word: sweat
word: Tommy
word: digger
word: dogface
word: doughboy
word: GI
word: ground pounder
word: grunt
word: jarhead
word: jawan
word: lobster
word: Old Bill
word: old sweat
word: regular
word: serviceman
word: serviceperson
word: servicewoman
word: soldier
word: squaddie
word: sweat
word: tirailleur
word: Tommy
word: Tommy Atkins
word: trooper
word: warrior
glosses: A soldier, especially one who resembles the cartoon character of the same name created by Bruce Bairnsfather in 1914.