marshal

UK: /ˈmɑː^rʃ^əl/ US: /ˈmɑrʃəl/ ,(mär′shəl)

Inflections of 'marshal' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

When both "l" and "ll" forms exist, spellings with a double "l" are correct, but rare, in US English, while those with a single "l" are not correct in UK English.

marshals

v 3rd person singular

marshalling

v pres p (Mainly UK)

marshaling

v pres p (US)

marshalled

v past (Mainly UK)

marshaled

v past (US)

marshalled

v past p (Mainly UK)

marshaled

v past p (US)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

mar•shal /ˈmɑrʃəl/   n., v., -shaled, -shal•ing or (esp. Brit.) -shalled, -shal•ling. 
n. [countable]

1. Government an administrative officer of a U.S. court with duties similar to a sheriff's.
2. Government the chief of a police or fire department.
3. an official who leads special ceremonies, as a parade.
4. Military an army officer of the highest rank, as in France.

v. [~ + object]

5. to arrange in proper or effective order:
   to marshal facts.
6. to usher or show the way to (someone) ceremoniously.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

mar•shal  (mär′shəl), n., v., -shaled, -shal•ing or (esp. Brit.) -shalled, -shal•ling. 
n. 

1. Military a military officer of the highest rank, as in the French and some other armies. Cf. field marshal. 
2. Government an administrative officer of a U.S. judicial district who performs duties similar to those of a sheriff.
3. Government a court officer serving processes, attending court, giving personal service to the judges, etc.
4. Government the chief of a police or fire department in some cities.
5. Government a police officer in some communities.
6. Government See sky marshal. 
7. World History, Government a higher officer of a royal household or court.
8. an official charged with the arrangement or regulation of ceremonies, parades, etc.:
   the marshal of the St. Patrick's Day parade.

v.t. 

9. to arrange in proper order;
   set out in an orderly manner;
   arrange clearly:
   to marshal facts; to marshal one's arguments.
10. to array, as for battle.
11. to usher or lead ceremoniously:
    Their host marshaled them into the room.
12. Heraldry to combine (two or more coats of arms) on a single escutcheon.

• Gmc; compare Old High German marahscalh groom, equivalent. to marah horse (see mare¹) + scalh servant, cognate with Old English scealc
• Old French
• Middle English marshal, syncopated variant of mareschal 1225–75

mar′shal•cy, mar′shal•ship′, n. 
mar′shal•er*  [esp. Brit.,] mar′shal•ler, n. 
Synonyms

• 9. order, dispose; convoke. See gather. 

Antonyms

• 9. scatter.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

marshal / ˈmɑːʃəl/ noun

1. (in some armies and air forces) an officer of the highest rank
2. (in England) an officer, usually a junior barrister, who accompanies a judge on circuit and performs miscellaneous secretarial duties
3. (in the US) a Federal court officer assigned to a judicial district whose functions are similar to those of a sheriff
4. (in some states) the chief police or fire officer
5. an officer who organizes or conducts ceremonies, parades, etc
6. Also called: knight marshal (formerly in England) an officer of the royal family or court, esp one in charge of protocol
7. an obsolete word for ostler

verb ( -shals, -shalling, -shalled) ( -shals, -shaling, -shaled)(transitive)

1. to arrange in order: to marshal the facts
2. to assemble and organize (troops, vehicles, etc) prior to onward movement
3. to guide or lead, esp in a ceremonious way
4. to combine (two or more coats of arms) on one shield

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French mareschal; related to Old High German marahscalc groom, from marah horse + scalc servant

ˈmarshalcy, ˈmarshalˌship noun