Shire \Shire\, n. [AS. sc[imac]re, sc[imac]r, a division,
province, county. Cf. Sheriff.]
1. A portion of Great Britain originally under the
supervision of an earl; a territorial division, usually
identical with a county, but sometimes limited to a
smaller district; as, Wiltshire, Yorkshire, Richmondshire,
Hallamshire.
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An indefinite number of these hundreds make up a
county or shire. --Blackstone.
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2. A division of a State, embracing several contiguous
townships; a county. [U. S.]
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Note: Shire is commonly added to the specific designation of
a county as a part of its name; as, Yorkshire instead
of York shire, or the shire of York; Berkshire instead
of Berks shire. Such expressions as the county of
Yorkshire, which in a strict sense are tautological,
are used in England. In the United States the composite
word is sometimes the only name of a county; as,
Berkshire county, as it is called in Massachusetts,
instead of Berks county, as in Pensylvania.
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The Tyne, Tees, Humber, Wash, Yare, Stour, and
Thames separate the counties of Northumberland,
Durham, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, etc. --Encyc.
Brit.
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Knight of the shire. See under Knight.
Shire clerk, an officer of a county court; also, an under
sheriff. [Eng.]
Shire mote (Old. Eng. Law), the county court; sheriff's
turn, or court. [Obs.] --Cowell. --Blackstone.
Shire reeve (Old Eng. Law), the reeve, or bailiff, of a
shire; a sheriff. --Burrill.
Shire town, the capital town of a county; a county town.
Shire wick, a county; a shire. [Obs.] --Holland.
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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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