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Removable, as distinguished from perpetual; -- said of an officer.

An officer in Christian churches appointed to perform certain subordinate duties varying in different communions. In the Roman Catholic and Episcopal churches, a person admitted to the lowest order in the ministry, subordinate to the bishops and priests. In Presbyterian churches, he is subordinate to the minister and e…

A dignitary or presiding officer in certain ecclesiastical and lay bodies; esp., an ecclesiastical dignitary, subordinate to a bishop. Dean of cathedral church, the chief officer of a chapter; he is an ecclesiastical magistrate next in degree to bishop, and has immediate charge of the cathedral and its estates. -- Dea…

A writing acknowledging a debt; a writing or certificate signed by a public officer, as evidence of a debt due to some person; the sum thus due.

A person employed by officers of justice, or parties exposed to injury, to induce a suspected person to commit an offense under circumstances that will lead to his detection.

A head or chief over ten; especially, an officer who commanded a division of ten soldiers.

An abstraction of money, etc., by an officer or agent

The patron of a church; an officer having charge of the temporal affairs of a church.

deprive of office or dignity; to strip of honors; as, to degrade a nobleman, or a general officer. Prynne was sentenced by the Star Chamber Court to be degraded from the bar. Palfrey.

act as its representative in a convention; as, a delegate to a convention for nominating officers, or for forming or altering a constitution. [U.S.] Court of delegates, formerly, the great court of appeal from the archbishops' courts and also from the court of admiralty. It is now abolished, and the privy council is t…

The state of being delivered, or freed from restraint. I do desire deliverance from these officers. Shak.

An officer whose duty it was to announce the doom or sentence pronounced by the court.

The act of setting aside a sovereign or a public officer; deprivation of authority and dignity; displacement; removal.

To indicate or set apart for a purpose or duty; -- with to or for; to designate an officer for or to the command of a post or station.

An officer who assigned to each his rank and place in public shows and ceremonies.

nment of hope; extreme recklessness; reckless fury. In the desperation of the moment, the officers even tried to cut their way through with their swords. W. Irving.

To tell off or appoint for a particular service, as an officer, a troop, or a squadron.

for, or skilled in, detecting; employed in detecting crime or criminals; as, a detective officer.

the ink rollers and sweeping), etc. "Without fearing the printer's devil or the sheriff's officer." Macaulay. -- Tasmanian devil (Zoöl.), a very savage carnivorous marsupial of Tasmania (Dasyurus, or Diabolus, ursinus). -- To play devil with, to molest extremely; to ruin. [Low]

s with to or into; as, after the general fell, the command devolved upon (or on) the next officer in rank. His estate . . . devolved to Lord Somerville. Johnson.