patrol
A going of the rounds along the chain of sentinels and between the posts, by a guard, usually consisting of three or four men, to insure greater security from attacks on the outposts.
Example
“Four members of the squadron were on patrol.”
Other meanings
A movement, by a small body of troops beyond the line of outposts, to explore the country and gain intelligence of the enemy's whereabouts.
The guards who go the rounds for observation; a detachment whose duty it is to patrol.
Word history
From Old French "patrouille".
Where this comes from
This definition is adapted from “patrol” on Wiktionary, by its contributors, published under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page is published under the same licence.