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n. 1. A member of a police force, especially in Saudi Arabia, charged with enforcing adherence to Shari'a law, notably in application to public conduct and dress. 2. (used with a pl. verb) The members of this police force, considered as a group. [Arabic muṭṭawwa', colloquial form of muṭṭawwi', volunteer, one following the noncompulsory practices recommended in the shari'a, active participle of iṭṭawwa'a, to volunteer, contracted form of taṭawwa'a, to volunteer, reflexive of ṭawwa'a, to make obedient, factative of ṭā'a, to be obedient; see ṭwʿ in the Appendix of Semitic roots.] |
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