COUNTY

county

(noun) (United Kingdom) a region created by territorial division for the purpose of local government; “the county has a population of 12,345 people”

county

(noun) (United States) the largest administrative district within a state; “the county plans to build a new road”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Noun

county (countable and uncountable, plural counties)

(historical) The land ruled by a count or a countess.

An administrative region of various countries, including Bhutan, Canada, China, Croatia, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Romania, South Korea, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and 48 of the 50 United States (excluding Alaska and Louisiana).

A definitive geographic region, without direct administrative functions.

(US, slang, uncountable) A jail operated by a county government.

Usage notes

• In US usage, counties are almost always designated as such, with the word "County" capitalized and following the name — e.g, "Lewis County", rarely "Lewis", and never "County Lewis".

• In British usage, counties are referenced without designation — e.g. "Kent" and never "Kent County". Exceptions are; Durham, which is often "County Durham" (but never "Durham County"); and the counties of Northern Ireland. An organisation such as Kent County Council is the "County Council" of "Kent" and not the "Council" of "Kent County".

• In Irish usage, counties are frequently referenced, but like Durham precede the name — e.g, "County Cork" or "Cork" and never "Cork County."

• In Canadian usage, counties are typically designated as such, with the word "County" capitalized and usually preceding the name — e.g, "the County of Two Hills". Occasionally, "County" follows the name, as in "Sturgeon County".

Adjective

county (comparative more county, superlative most county)

Characteristic of a ‘county family’; representative of the gentry or aristocracy of a county.

Source: Wiktionary


Coun"ty (koun"t), n.; pl. Counties (-t. Etym: [F. comt, fr. LL. comitatus. See Count.]

1. An earldom; the domain of a count or earl. [Obs.]

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. Every county, every town, every family, was in agitation. Macaulay.

3. A count; an earl or lord. [Obs.] Shak. 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 distingushed 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.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

23 April 2024

GRADUAL

(noun) (Roman Catholic Church) an antiphon (usually from the Book of Psalms) immediately after the epistle at Mass


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