Glossary of Terms
The purpose behind the glossary of terms is to help students prepare better for the Security Guard licence exam and for the job by showing them definition of the words that are commonly used in the industry.
Word | Definition |
---|---|
access routes | the ways in and out of a building or site |
activated | caused to operate, start working, set off |
to adjust to | to get used to, to make the best of things |
anxious | uneasy, nervous |
to arm | to set, to turn on |
to assess | to evaluate, to judge |
to assume | to believe something to be true without knowing all of the facts |
attitude | way of thinking about things |
authority | the legal power to control, give orders and make others obey, or a person who has this power |
authorized | allowed, permitted |
barricade | physical barrier |
to challenge | to disobey or resist doing what someone wants |
client | the owner or landlord at the place where you are working |
combustible | able to catch fire and burn easily |
combustion | the process of burning |
communication | the sharing of thoughts, ideas, feelings between people |
complaint | a formal statement about a problem |
comply | to agree to, to go along with |
component | part |
compulsory | necessary |
conduct | the way you act, how you behave |
confidential | private |
conscious | awake and able to understand what is happening around you |
consequences | results |
coordinate | work well together |
data | facts or information |
detailed | complete, includes all the important information |
to detect | to notice, to become aware of |
to deter | to prevent or discourage |
deterrent | something that prevents or discourages someone from doing something that they should not do |
to detonate | to cause to explode |
device | something that has been made for a special purpose |
to disarm | to turn off |
discipline | action taken against someone who, it is believed, has done something wrong |
discriminate | to treat differently, usually in a negative way |
to disrupt | to confuse or upset |
to distract | to break someone’s attention away from something |
to enforce | to make sure that a rule or regulation is followed |
to escalate | to take to a higher level, to make worse to escort to go with, to guide perhaps by the arm escorting going with someone to protect them |
to evacuate | to empty |
to evaluate | to assess, to make a judgment |
evidence | anything that proves something or gives a reason for believing something |
to extinguish | to put out |
extinguisher | a device that is used for putting out fires |
flammable | burns quickly and easily, or likely to burst into flames and to burn very quickly |
flare | an object that produces a bright light and is used as a signal |
frustrated | not satisfied because you are unable to get what you want |
gear | equipment for an activity, including clothing |
gesture | movement of the hands or head to show an idea or feeling |
guidance | advice or information for solving a problem or difficulty |
guidelines | suggestions to help someone carry out actions |
hazard | danger |
hazardous | dangerous |
hoax, prank | trick or joke |
hydrant | a pipe for water with a place where a hose can be attached |
identification | proof of who a person is |
to ignite | to start on fire |
illegal | against the law |
incident | unusual event or happening |
infrared | heat rays that create a beam that can’t be seen by the human eye |
to install | to put in |
interaction | a meeting between people when they communicate with each other |
intruder | someone who has entered an area that they are not supposed to be in |
involvement | participation |
to inspect | to look at carefully |
issues | things people are worried about |
to interact | to say or do things with another person or persons |
justified | acting within the law |
mechanical | having moving parts such as in a machine |
to minimize | to make less, to take to the lowest level |
MSDS | Material Safety Data Sheet |
neutral | showing no emotion, not taking either side in a disagreement (fight, protest, labour dispute) no matter what your feelings are or who seems to be right |
obstacles | things in the way |
occupants | the people inside a car, building, etc. |
on behalf of | in the interests of, representing |
pedestrian | a person who is walking |
perimeter | outside edge of an area |
to prearrange | to set in place before |
predictable | routine, able to know in advance |
procedures | ways of doing things |
proximity | nearness, how close something is |
public relations | how to get along with the public and how you want the public to see you or the organization that you represent |
reflective | sending back. Clothing or tape that reflects light helps you to be seen especially at night |
regulation | rule |
to repel | to push away, to hold off |
representative (rep) | someone who speaks for others or who brings their concerns / feedback to others |
to reset | to set again, to arm again |
residue | small amount that is left |
responsibilities | duties |
responsibility | something that you must do, watch over or take care of |
responsible | in charge and likely to take the blame if anything goes wrong |
to restrain | to physically control or confine |
restraint | control, self-discipline |
restricted | limited to only certain people, not for the general public |
secure | tightly closed and locked |
to secure | to stop people from entering or leaving a site |
seizure | the taking away of something from someone |
shop steward | a union member who helps others with problems |
silhouette | outline |
site | the place where you are guarding |
slang | very informal language that not everyone understands |
stance | how you stand and hold your body |
supportive | helpful |
surveillance camera | camera that is used to keep watch over an area for intruders or shoplifters |
suspicious | strange looking or out of place, guilty looking |
testimony | formal statement in court |
threat | a chance or promise that something bad is going to happen |
to threaten | to say that you will hurt someone |
threatening | causing fear, making someone uncomfortable |
typical | common, similar to a group |
unconscious | not conscious, as if in a very deep sleep |
valve | a device that’s used for controlling the flow of air, liquid or gas |
vapours | wet gasses, such as steam, that are coming off of a liquid |
vibration | rapid shaking movement |
visibility | the ease with which one can see things over a distance. This may be affected by light or weather. |
waybill | a paper with the details of a shipment, including sender, receiver, and details of the goods being shipped |
WHMIS | Workplace Hazard Material Information System. WHMIS uses special symbols to identify containers of hazardous material |