Constableship

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.