from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Commissioner \Com*mis"sion*er\, n.
1. A person who has a commission or warrant to perform some
office, or execute some business, for the government,
corporation, or person employing him; as, a commissioner
to take affidavits or to adjust claims.
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To another address which requested that a commission
might be sent to examine into the state of things in
Ireland, William returned a gracious answer, and
desired the Commons to name the commissioners.
--Macaulay.
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2. An officer having charge of some department or bureau of
the public service.
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Herbert was first commissioner of the Admiralty.
--Macaulay.
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The commissioner of patents, the commissioner of the
land office, the commissioner of Indian affairs, are
subordinates of the secretary of the interior.
--Bartlett.
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{Commissioner of deeds}, an officer having authority to take
affidavits, depositions, acknowledgment of deeds, etc.,
for use in the State by which he is appointed. [U. S.]
{County commissioners}, certain administrative officers in
some of the States, invested by local laws with various
powers in reference to the roads, courthouses, financial
matters, etc., of the county. [U. S.]
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from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
County \Coun"ty\ (koun"t[y^]), n.; pl. {Counties} (-t[i^]z). [F.
comt['e], fr. LL. comitatus. See {Count}.]
1. An earldom; the domain of a count or earl. [Obs.]
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2. A circuit or particular portion of a state or kingdom,
separated from the rest of the territory, for certain
purposes in the administration of justice and public
affairs; -- called also a {shire}. See {Shire}.
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Every county, every town, every family, was in
agitation. --Macaulay.
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3. A count; an earl or lord. [Obs.] --Shak.
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{County commissioners}. See {Commissioner}.
{County corporate}, a city or town having the privilege to be
a county by itself, and to be governed by its own sheriffs
and other magistrates, irrespective of the officers of the
county in which it is situated; as London, York, Bristol,
etc. [Eng.] --Mozley & W.
{County court}, a court whose jurisdiction is limited to
county.
{County palatine}, a county distinguished by particular
privileges; -- so called a palatio (from the palace),
because the owner had originally royal powers, or the same
powers, in the administration of justice, as the king had
in his palace; but these powers are now abridged. The
counties palatine, in England, are Lancaster, Chester, and
Durham.
{County rates}, rates levied upon the county, and collected
by the boards of guardians, for the purpose of defraying
the expenses to which counties are liable, such as
repairing bridges, jails, etc. [Eng.]
{County seat}, a county town. [U.S.]
{County sessions}, the general quarter sessions of the peace
for each county, held four times a year. [Eng.]
{County town}, the town of a county, where the county
business is transacted; a shire town.
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