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Glite Dictionary
deputy sheriff

deputy sheriff

11 3.4
A law officer who helps the sheriff and acts for them when the sheriff is away
  • noun
  • /ˈdɛpjʊti ˈʃɛrɪf/
  • US
translation icon : alguacil adjunto
  • When the sheriff was out of town, the deputy sheriff took charge of the case.
  • County deputy sheriff
  • former deputy sheriff
  • father, a deputy sheriff

Like his all of his deputy sheriff badges.

Examples

  • The deputy sheriff responded quickly to the emergency call for assistance.

  • During the meeting, the deputy sheriff explained the new community safety initiatives.

  • - Well my husband is a deputy sheriff.

    Into the Flames (2021)

  • Actually, can you... connect me to the deputy sheriff, please?

    Searching (2018)

  • My husband is a deputy sheriff, so he comes home with interesting tales.

    Blog text (15)

  • Look, I need your bike, I'm a deputy sheriff and this is a police emergency.

    Joshua Tree (1993)

  • He's our deputy sheriff around here.

    Psycho (1998)

  • The judge instructed the deputy sheriff who acted as his bailiff to bring in the jury.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • Cale wants to take Keeler's position as deputy sheriff when he leaves.

    Desert Blue (1999)

  • Ah, Mr. Capone, this is Joe Pryor, deputy sheriff.

    Capone (1975)

Synonyms

deputy
vsdeputy sheriff
658 3.4

A person who acts for a leader when they are absent

is the specific law role authorized to fill the top county law officer's duties
peace officer
vsdeputy sheriff
  • Formal
9 3.5

A person who has legal power to make people follow the law, like a police officer or sheriff

is a role focused on replacing that official specifically during absences
law officer
vsdeputy sheriff
5 2.2

A person who makes sure people follow the law, like a police officer or sheriff

is the authorized substitute role rather than the general law enforcement job
undersheriff
vsdeputy sheriff
4 7.2

A person who helps the sheriff with official duties

acts mainly as an authorized substitute during absences or emergencies

How Senior

sheriff
  • US
∞ 3.9
undersheriff
4 7.2
deputy sheriff
  • US
11 3.4

Surface Forms

deputy sheriff singular
deputy sheriffs plural

Morphology

deputy + sheriff

The meaning 'a law officer authorized to act as the sheriff's substitute' is directly and compositionally derived from 'deputy' (a person appointed to act in a superior's absence) modifying 'sheriff' (chief law officer). This role-based noun+noun construction is transparent and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Deputy sheriff comes from the idea of a helper chosen to stand in for the sheriff. A deputy was made to 'stand in' or take the sheriff's job when the sheriff was away or busy, so today a deputy sheriff is an officer who acts as the 'substitute' for the sheriff.