noun
a local military action without declaration of war; against violators of international peace and order
• Topics: ↑military, ↑armed forces, ↑armed services, ↑military machine, ↑war machine
• Hypernyms: ↑military action, ↑action
* * *
noun : a usually localized military action undertaken by regular armed forces against persons held to be violators of the general international peace and order (as guerrillas, bandits, or aggressors) without a formal declaration of war
the United Nations police action in Korea
the war with Spain … was a relatively small police action — R.K.Burns
* * *
a relatively localized military action undertaken by regular armed forces, without a formal declaration of war, against guerrillas, insurgents, or other forces held to be violating international peace and order.
[1880-85]
* * *
police action,
a peacekeeping military action or campaign carried out against insurgent or aggressive forces in the interest of world peace: »
The Korean war was not a war between sovereign nations, but a United Nations police action (Bulletin of Atomic Scientists).
Useful english dictionary. 2012.