sheriff
Americannoun
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the law-enforcement officer of a county or other civil subdivision of a state.
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(formerly) an important civil officer in an English shire.
noun
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(in the US) the chief law-enforcement officer in a county: popularly elected, except in Rhode Island
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(in England and Wales) the chief executive officer of the Crown in a county, having chiefly ceremonial duties
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(in Scotland) a judge in any of the sheriff courts
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(in Australia) an administrative officer of the Supreme Court, who enforces judgments and the execution of writs, empanels juries, etc
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(in New Zealand) an officer of the High Court
Other Word Forms
- sheriffdom noun
- subsheriff noun
Etymology
Origin of sheriff
before 1050; Middle English sher ( r ) ef, Old English scīrgerēfa. See shire, reeve 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Mr. Shojinaga was a teacher at Viewpoint School in the city of Calabasas and has had contact with numerous juveniles in the course of that employment,” sheriff officials said in a statement.
From Los Angeles Times
Seitz also alleged in his complaint that sheriff’s officials tried to keep him from reporting the incident, pointing to a call made by then-Capt.
From Los Angeles Times
In Calvert County, Maryland, on Sunday afternoon, a vehicle was struck by a falling tree that toppled onto the road way, killing Michael Simpson, 60, and Virginia Quesenberry, 43, the sheriff's office said.
From BBC
The investigation was ongoing and "will be guided by verifiable evidence and established facts", the sheriff's office added.
From BBC
Kate Movius moved among a roomful of Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies, passing out a pop trivia quiz and paper prism glasses.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
