wooden-top

See also: woodentop

English

Alternative forms

• woodentop

Etymology

The expression may be a reference to the wooden construction of a bobby's custodian helmet.

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

Noun

wooden-top (plural wooden-tops)

1. (British, informal, idiomatic) A uniformed police officer.
   • 1988, Derek Raymond, The Devil's Home on Leave, Ballantine Books, page 151:

     Immediately a big wooden-top came in. He was young and blond.

   • 1991, Bill James, The Lolita Man, W. W. Norton & Company, page 41:

     It is Detective Chief Superintendent Cohn Harpur, one of the bosses, but just a wooden-top like all the rest.

Usage notes

Used by British police, Criminal Investigation Department detectives.

Synonyms

• (police officer): see Thesaurus:police officer

References

• wooden-top, on UK Police Slang and Acronyms.