The Marshal Started Out Looking After Horses
A marshal is a high-ranking officer or an official who organises. The title began as the servant who tended the horses.
A marshal holds high rank in armies and police forces, or organises an event. Its origin is humble: an old Germanic compound of *marah*, horse, and *scalc*, servant — a stable hand. The person who looked after the king's horses grew steadily in importance until the title outranked almost everyone.
- A high-ranking officer. *Field marshal.*
- A law officer (American). *A US marshal.*
- An official organising an event. *Race marshals in yellow jackets.*
- To arrange or gather. *Marshal your arguments.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | marshal | A track marshal. |
| Plural | marshals | Course marshals. |
| Verb | marshal | Marshal the evidence. |
| Past (UK) | marshalled | Marshalled the crowd. |
| Past (US) | marshaled | Marshaled his facts. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Marshals directed traffic at the junction.Event stewarding.
- He marshalled the arguments carefully.The verb means to arrange in order.
- A field marshal is the highest army rank in Britain.Now rarely awarded.
Marshal, martial or Marshall?
- Marshal — the officer, and the verb
- Martial — relating to war, from Mars
- Marshall — a surname and place name, with two l's
- Court martial — a military court; the plural is courts martial
- Marshalling yard — where railway wagons are sorted
From Old French *mareschal*, from Frankish, from Germanic roots meaning horse and servant. The word rose in rank alongside the importance of cavalry.
Marshal or martial?
A marshal is a person or an act of arranging. Martial means warlike, as in martial arts and martial law.
One l or two?
The common noun and verb take one: marshal, marshals. British English doubles it in marshalled and marshalling; American English does not.