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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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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