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professional courtesy
/prəˈfɛʃənəl ˈkɜrtəsi/
/prəˈfɛʃənəl ˈkɜːtəsi/
Professional courtesy
01
free service that people of the same profession provide for each other, especially common among physicians
Examples
As a gesture of professional courtesy, the lawyer offered free legal advice to her colleague.
Physicians often extend professional courtesy to fellow doctors by waiving consultation fees.
02
a practice in which law enforcement officers refrain from arresting or reporting fellow officers for certain infractions, such as traffic violations or minor offenses, out of mutual respect or solidarity
Examples
The officer let the speeding driver go after discovering he was a fellow cop, citing professional courtesy.
Critics argue that professional courtesy undermines accountability within law enforcement.
