verb

patrol

to patrol, to make the rounds, to guard

Police patrol the streets at night.

Police patrol the streets at night.

The soldiers patrol the border.

The soldiers patrol the border.

((sth.)) to move around an area to keep it safe Police patrol the area.

Synonyms: guard, watch, police, monitor

From French 'patrouiller', meaning 'to paddle in the mud', which came to mean soldiers tramping around a camp.

Imagine a security guard who has to 'pat' down suspicious people while on his 'roll' (route).

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