Sergeant-at-arms

Sergeant \Ser"geant\, n. [F. sergent, fr. L. serviens, -entis,
   p. pr. of servire to serve. See {Serve}, and cf. {Servant}.]
   [Written also {serjeant}. Both spellings are authorized. In
   England {serjeant} is usually preferred, except for military
   officers. In the United States {sergeant} is common for civil
   officers also.]
   1. Formerly, in England, an officer nearly answering to the
      more modern bailiff of the hundred; also, an officer whose
      duty was to attend on the king, and on the lord high
      steward in court, to arrest traitors and other offenders.
      He is now called sergeant-at-arms, and two of these
      officers, by allowance of the sovereign, attend on the
      houses of Parliament (one for each house) to execute their
      commands, and another attends the Court Chancery.
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            The sergeant of the town of Rome them sought.
                                                  --Chaucer.
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            The magistrates sent the serjeant, saying, Let those
            men go.                               --Acts xvi.
                                                  35.
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            This fell sergeant, Death,
            Is strict in his arrest.              --Shak.
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   2. (Mil.) In a company, battery, or troop, a noncommissioned
      officer next in rank above a corporal, whose duty is to
      instruct recruits in discipline, to form the ranks, etc.
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   Note: In the United States service, besides the sergeants
         belonging to the companies there are, in each regiment,
         a sergeant major, who is the chief noncommissioned
         officer, and has important duties as the assistant to
         the adjutant; a quartermaster sergeant, who assists the
         quartermaster; a color sergeant, who carries the
         colors; and a commissary sergeant, who assists in the
         care and distribution of the stores. Ordnance sergeants
         have charge of the ammunition at military posts.
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   3. (Law) A lawyer of the highest rank, answering to the
      doctor of the civil law; -- called also {serjeant at law}.
      [Eng.] --Blackstone.
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   4. A title sometimes given to the servants of the sovereign;
      as, sergeant surgeon, that is, a servant, or attendant,
      surgeon. [Eng.]
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   5. (Zool.) The cobia.
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   {Drill sergeant}. (Mil.) See under {Drill}.

   {Sergeant-at-arms}, an officer of a legislative body, or of a
      deliberative or judicial assembly, who executes commands
      in preserving order and arresting offenders. See
      {Sergeant}, 1.

   {Sergeant major}.
      (a) (Mil.) See the Note under def. 2, above.
      (b) (Zool.) The cow pilot.
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