A plan or course of action, as of a government, political party, or business, intended to influence and determine decisions, actions, and other matters: American foreign policy; the company's personnel policy.
A course of action, guiding principle, or procedure considered expedient, prudent, or advantageous: Honesty is the best policy.
Prudence, shrewdness, or sagacity in practical matters.
[Middle English policie, art of government, civil organization, from Old French; see police.]
[Obsolete police, from French, contract, bill of lading, from Old French, from Old Italian polizza, alteration of Medieval Latin apodixa, receipt, from Medieval Greek apodeixis, from Greek, proof, from apodeiknunai, to prove : apo-, intensive pref.; see apo- + deiknunai, to show; see deik- in Indo-European roots.]
"way of management, government, administration," c.1386, from O.Fr. policie (14c.) "civil administration," from L. politia "the state," from Gk. politeia "state, administration, government, citizenship," from polites "citizen," from polis "city, state," from PIE *p(o)lH- "enclosed space, often on high ground" (cf. Skt. pur, puram "city, citadel," Lith. pilis "fortress"). Meaning "plan of action, way of management" first recorded c.1406.
"written insurance agreement," 1565, from M.Fr. police "contract, bill of lading" (1371), from It. polizza "written evidence of a transaction," from M.L. apodissa "receipt for money," from Gk. apodexis "proof, declaration," from apo- "off" + deiknynia "to show," cognate with L. dicere "to tell" (see diction).
Main Entry: pol·i·cy Pronunciation: 'pä-l&-sE Function: noun Inflected Form: plural-cies : an overall plan, principle,
or guideline; especially: one formulated outside of the judiciary <obligated to consider legislative policy on the matter in their decision>
Po*lice"\, n. [F., fr. L. politia the condition of a state, government, administration, Gr. ?, fr. ? to be a citizen, to govern or administer a state, fr. ? citizen, fr. ? city; akin to Skr. pur, puri. Cf. Policy polity, Polity.]1. A judicial and executive system, for the government of a city, town, or district, for the preservation of rights, order, cleanliness, health, etc., and for the enforcement of the laws and prevention of crime; the administration of the laws and regulations of a city, incorporated town, or borough. 2. That which concerns the order of the community; the internal regulation of a state. 3. The organized body of civil officers in a city, town, or district, whose particular duties are the preservation of good order, the prevention and detection of crime, and the enforcement of the laws. 4. (Mil.) Military police, the body of soldiers detailed to preserve civil order and attend to sanitary arrangements in a camp or garrison. 5. The cleaning of a camp or garrison, or the state ? a camp as to cleanliness. Police commissioner, a civil officer, usually one of a board, commissioned to regulate and control the appointment, duties, and discipline of the police. Police constable, or Police officer, a policeman. Police court, a minor court to try persons brought before it by the police. Police inspector, an officer of police ranking next below a superintendent. Police jury, a body of officers who collectively exercise jurisdiction in certain cases of police, as levying taxes, etc.; -- so called in Louisiana. --Bouvier. Police justice, or Police magistrate, a judge of a police court. Police offenses (Law), minor offenses against the order of the community, of which a police court may have final jurisdiction. Police station, the headquarters of the police, or of a section of them; the place where the police assemble for orders, and to which they take arrested persons.
Pol"i*cy\, n.; pl. Policies. [L. politia, Gr. ?; cf. F. police, Of. police. See Police, n.]1. Civil polity. [Obs.] 2. The settled method by which the government and affairs of a nation are, or may be, administered; a system of public or official administration, as designed to promote the external or internal prosperity of a state. 3. The method by which any institution is administered; system of management; course. 4. Management or administration based on temporal or material interest, rather than on principles of equity or honor; hence, worldly wisdom; dexterity of management; cunning; stratagem. 5. Prudence or wisdom in the management of public and private affairs; wisdom; sagacity; wit. The very policy of a hostess, finding his purse so far above his clothes, did detect him. --Fuller. 6. Motive; object; inducement. [Obs.] What policy have you to bestow a benefit where it is counted an injury? --Sir P. Sidney. Syn: See Polity.
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