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sheriff

sheriff

3.9
A county officer who enforces the law, keeps the peace, and carries out court orders
  • noun
  • /ˈʃɛrɪf/
  • US
translation icon : alguacil
  • I'm going to be your sheriff.
  • county sheriff
  • deputy sheriff
  • sheriff's office

I had built a case for the Sheriff's Office of Wyoming County.

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Examples

  • The sheriff organized a town meeting to discuss crime prevention strategies.

  • "We need to ask you some questions," the sheriff said, and right away Horse had a bad feeling.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • - What do you want, Sheriff?

  • The lawyer translated and said to the sheriff, "He says he sees the gun."

    Academic text (1992)
  • Until a new prison could be built, the sheriff had to transport inmates to Floyd County for temporary holding.

    Academic text (2008)
  • This town has a Sheriff's Office and a gymnasium and a library.

  • If you don't want to lose your prisoner, Sheriff, you'd better take care of him yourself.

  • The sheriff is responsible for maintaining law and order in the county.

  • After the election, the new sheriff promised to focus on community safety.

Synonyms

police chief
vssheriff
93 3.2

An officer who is in charge of a police department

is the elected county leader whose role includes public order and administration
marshal
vssheriff
  • Formal
77 6.7

An official who makes sure people follow court orders

is an elected county officer with broader peacekeeping and administrative responsibilities
27 4.6

A senior officer in charge of a city's police force

is instead an elected county leader focused on local peacekeeping and administration
peace officer
vssheriff
  • Formal
9 3.5

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

is specifically the elected county leader rather than a general law enforcer
law officer
vssheriff
5 2.2

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

is specifically the elected county leader focused on peacekeeping and administration
Chief Constable
vssheriff
  • UK
1 7.0

A senior police officer who leads the police in a county, especially in the United Kingdom

is the county leader typically elected and focused on keeping the peace and admin

Idioms

5 7.2

A person new in charge who makes rules stricter

Compounds

11 3.4

A law officer who helps the sheriff and acts for them when the sheriff is away

How Authoritative

federal agent
104 3.5
peace officer
  • Formal
9 3.5
sheriff
  • US
3.9
police officer
560 1.1

Surface Forms

sheriff singular
sheriffs plural

Etymology

The word sheriff comes from the old English phrase shire-reeve, where shire means 'county' and reeve means 'an official or guardian'. A shire-reeve was the ruler's officer in a county who kept the peace, so a sheriff today is still the main law officer of a county.