Search Result for "bailiff": 
Wordnet 3.0

NOUN (1)

1. an officer of the court who is employed to execute writs and processes and make arrests etc.;


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Bailiff \Bail"iff\ (b[=a]l"[i^]f), n. [OF. baillif, F. bailli, custodian, magistrate, fr. L. bajulus porter. See Bail to deliver.] [1913 Webster] 1. Originally, a person put in charge of something; especially, a chief officer, magistrate, or keeper, as of a county, town, hundred, or castle; one to whom powers of custody or care are intrusted. --Abbott. [1913 Webster] Lausanne is under the canton of Berne, governed by a bailiff sent every three years from the senate. --Addison. [1913 Webster] 2. (Eng. Law) A sheriff's deputy, appointed to make arrests, collect fines, summon juries, etc. [1913 Webster] Note: In American law the term bailiff is seldom used except sometimes to signify a sheriff's officer or constable, or a party liable to account to another for the rent and profits of real estate. --Burrill. [1913 Webster] 3. An overseer or under steward of an estate, who directs husbandry operations, collects rents, etc. [Eng.] [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Burghmaster \Burgh"mas`ter\, n. 1. A burgomaster. [1913 Webster] 2. (Mining) An officer who directs and lays out the meres or boundaries for the workmen; -- called also bailiff, and barmaster. [Eng.] [1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

bailiff n 1: an officer of the court who is employed to execute writs and processes and make arrests etc.
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

65 Moby Thesaurus words for "bailiff": G-man, MC, MP, attorney, beadle, beagle, bound bailiff, butler, captain, catchpole, chief of police, commissioner, constable, croupier, curator, custodian, deputy, deputy sheriff, detective, emcee, factor, fed, federal, flic, gendarme, government man, guardian, housekeeper, inspector, landreeve, librarian, lictor, lieutenant, mace-bearer, majordomo, marshal, master of ceremonies, mounted policeman, narc, officer, patrolman, peace officer, police captain, police commissioner, police constable, police inspector, police matron, police officer, police sergeant, policeman, policewoman, portreeve, proctor, procurator, reeve, roundsman, seneschal, sergeant, sergeant at arms, sheriff, steward, superintendent, tipstaff, tipstaves, trooper
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

BAILIFF, account render. A bailiff is a person who has, by delivery, the custody and administration of lands or goods for the benefit of the owner or bailor, and is liable to render an account thereof. Co. Lit. 271; 2 Leon. 245; 1 Mall . Ent. 65. The word is derived from the old French word bailler, to bail, that is, to deliver. Originally, the word implied the delivery of real estate, as of land, woods, a house, a part of the fish in a pond; Owen, 20; 2 Leon. 194; Keilw. 114 a, b; 37 Ed. III. 7; 10 H. VII. 7, 30; but was afterwards extended to goods and chattels. Every bailiff is a ,receiver, but every receiver is not a bailiff. Hence it is a good plea that the defendant never was receiver, but as bailiff. 18 Ed. III. 16. See Cro. Eliz. 82-3; 2 Anders. 62-3, 96-7 F. N. B. 134 F; 8 Co. 48 a, b. 2. From a bailiff is required administration, care, management, skill. He is, therefore, entitled to allowance for the expense of administration, and for all things done in his office, according to his own judgment, without the special direction of his principal, and also for casual things done in the common course of business: 1 Mall. Ent. 65, (4) 11; 1 Rolle, Ab. 125, 1, 7; Co. Lit. 89 a; Com. Dig. E 12 Bro. Ab. Acc. 18 Lucas, Rep. 23 but not for things foreign to his office. Bro. Ab. Acc .26, 88; Plowd. 282b, 14; Com. Dig. Acc. E13; Co. Lit. 172; 1 Mall. Ent. 65, (4) 4. Whereas, a mere receiver, or a receiver who is not also a bailiff, is not entitled to allowance for any expenses. Bro. Ab. Acc. 18; 1 Mall. Ent. 66, (4) 10; 1 Roll. Ab. 118; Com. Dig. E 13; 1 Dall. 340. 3. A bailiff may appear and plead for his principal in an assize; " and his plea com- @mences " thus, " J. S., bailiff of T. N., comes " &c., not " T. N., by his bailiff, J. S., comes," &c. 2 Inst. 415; Keilw. 117 b. As to what matters he may plead, see 2 Inst. 414.
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

BAILIFF, office. Magistrates who for @merly administered justice in the parliaments or courts of France, answering to the English sheriffs as mentioned by Bracton. There are still bailiffs of particular towns in England as the bailiff of Dover Castle, &c., otherwise bailiffs are now only officers or stewards, &c. as Bailiffs of liberties, appointed by every lord within his liberty, to serve writs, &c. Bailiff errent or itinerant, appointed to go about the country for the same purpose. Sheriff 's bailies, sheriff's officers to execute writs; these are also called bound bailiffs because they are usually bound in a bond to the sheriff for the due execution of their office. Bailiffs of court baron, to summon the court, &c. Bailiffs of husbandry, appointed by private persons to collect their rents and manage their estates. Water bailiffs, officers in port towns for searching ships, gathering tolls, &c. Bac. Ab. h. t.