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sheriff

USSHER-if/ˈʃɛɹɪf/

Pluralsheriffs

Verbsheriffs, sheriffing, sheriffed

4 meanings of sheriff

Practice

  1. 1
    county police chiefnounUScountable
    An official, usually chosen by voters, who keeps law and order and runs the jail in a county.

    The sheriff and two deputies searched the woods for the missing hiker.

    People in our county vote for a new sheriff every four years.

    Note
  2. 2
    British officialnounBritishcountable
    A county official, called the High Sheriff, who carries out court orders and makes sure the law is obeyed.

    The new High Sheriff of the county was sworn in at a small ceremony.

    The sheriff of the shire made sure the court's orders were obeyed in every village.

    Note
  3. 3
    Scottish judgenoundialectalScotlandcountable
    A judge in the court of a county or district.

    The sheriff fined him £200 for careless driving.

    She has to appear before the sheriff in Glasgow next week.

    Note
  4. 4
    do the jobverbtransitive
    To do the job of a sheriff in a place.

    Her father sheriffed this county for twenty years.

    Nobody wanted to sheriff such a wild little town.

Practice

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Origin

From the Old English word sċīrġerēfa, made from shire and reeve.