Definition of Plainclothes

1. Adjective. (usually of a police officer) Wearing ordinary civilian clothes instead of a uniform, in order to avoid detection. ¹

2. Noun. Ordinary civilian clothes, rather than uniform. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Plainclothes

1. [adj]

Lexicographical Neighbors of Plainclothes

plain lining
plain paper
plain sailing
plain song
plain stitch
plain text
plain to see
plain turkey
plain wanderer
plain weave
plainant
plainants
plainchant
plainchants
plainclothed
plainclothes
plainclothes man
plainclothes men
plainclothesman
plainclothesmen
plained
plainer
plainest
plainful
plaining
plainings
plainish
plainland
plainlands
plainlike

Literary usage of Plainclothes

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Technique of the Photoplay by Epes Winthrop Sargent (1916)
"Jack, Tom and Clem on— Maltravers enters with plainclothes man—points to Clem— Officer shows ... Plainclothes man looks uncertain—nods—officers exit with ..."

2. World Report 2002: The Events of 2001 by Human Rights Watch (Organization (2002)
"Plainclothes police stationed outside the office of the CNLT in downtown Tunis often ... On March 10, men in plainclothes again assaulted Cherif near a ..."

3. American Police Systems by Raymond Blaine Fosdick (1920)
"In Pittsburgh both the central office detectives and precinct plainclothes men do detective work, but the head of the detective force has no control over ..."

4. Federal Immigration Law Enforcement in the Southwest: Civil Rights Impacts by John F. Dulles (1998)
"Two plainclothes officers work with plainclothes border patrol agents. A seventh uniformed border patrolman operates a transportation unit. ..."

5. Soviet Defectors: The KGB Wanted List by Vladislav Krasnov (1986)
"He was immediately arrested by plainclothes police. It was reported at the time that that incident had been preceded by a similar incident in November 1975, ..."

6. Multijurisdictional Drug Law Enforcement Strategies: Reducing Supply And Demand (1993)
"The plainclothes officers must react quickly after discovering persons using or buying drugs; the suspect must be properly arrested, searched for weapons, ..."

7. Silencing a People: The Destruction of Civil Society in Haiti by Americas Watch Committee (U.S.), National Coalition for Haitian Refugees (1993)
"About two days later, three men in plainclothes, one with a walkie-talkie, appeared on his block and asked residents whether he was around. ..."

8. Technique of the Photoplay by Epes Winthrop Sargent (1916)
"Jack, Tom and Clem on— Maltravers enters with plainclothes man—points to Clem— Officer shows ... Plainclothes man looks uncertain—nods—officers exit with ..."

9. World Report 2002: The Events of 2001 by Human Rights Watch (Organization (2002)
"Plainclothes police stationed outside the office of the CNLT in downtown Tunis often ... On March 10, men in plainclothes again assaulted Cherif near a ..."

10. American Police Systems by Raymond Blaine Fosdick (1920)
"In Pittsburgh both the central office detectives and precinct plainclothes men do detective work, but the head of the detective force has no control over ..."

11. Federal Immigration Law Enforcement in the Southwest: Civil Rights Impacts by John F. Dulles (1998)
"Two plainclothes officers work with plainclothes border patrol agents. A seventh uniformed border patrolman operates a transportation unit. ..."

12. Soviet Defectors: The KGB Wanted List by Vladislav Krasnov (1986)
"He was immediately arrested by plainclothes police. It was reported at the time that that incident had been preceded by a similar incident in November 1975, ..."

13. Multijurisdictional Drug Law Enforcement Strategies: Reducing Supply And Demand (1993)
"The plainclothes officers must react quickly after discovering persons using or buying drugs; the suspect must be properly arrested, searched for weapons, ..."

14. Silencing a People: The Destruction of Civil Society in Haiti by Americas Watch Committee (U.S.), National Coalition for Haitian Refugees (1993)
"About two days later, three men in plainclothes, one with a walkie-talkie, appeared on his block and asked residents whether he was around. ..."

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