const.

Con·sta·ble  (knst-bl, kn-), John 1776-1837.

British landscape painter whose use of broken color influenced later French painters. The Hay Wain (1821) is his best-known work.

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con·sta·ble  (knst-bl, kn-)

n. Abbr. Cons. or Const.

1. A peace officer with less authority and smaller jurisdiction than a sheriff, empowered to serve writs and warrants and make arrests.

2. A medieval officer of high rank, usually serving as military commander in the absence of a monarch.

3. The governor of a royal castle.

4. Chiefly British A police officer.

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[Middle English, from Old French conestable, from Late Latin comes stabul, officer of the stable : Latin comes, officer, companion; see ei- in Indo-European roots + Latin stabul, genitive of stabulum, stable; see st- in Indo-European roots.]

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consta·ble·ship n.

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const.

abbreviation for

constant

n

1. (Law) (in Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, etc.) a police officer of the lowest rank

2. (Law) any of various officers of the peace, esp one who arrests offenders, serves writs, etc.

3. the keeper or governor of a royal castle or fortress

4. (Historical Terms) (in medieval Europe) the chief military officer and functionary of a royal household, esp in France and England

5. (Historical Terms) an officer of a hundred in medieval England, originally responsible for raising the military levy but later assigned other administrative duties

[from Old French, from Late Latin comes stabulī officer in charge of the stable, from Latin comes comrade + stabulum dwelling, stable; see also count²]

constableship  n