police

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Also seen as: polices

Meaning · English

To clean up an area.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

This comes to him through the company housekeeping, for in the field each organization takes care of itself, cooks its own food, makes its own beds, does its own policing (cleaning up); […]

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “police” mean?

To clean up an area.

Is “police” formal or informal?

police is generally slang.