- Bailiwick
- The area a sheriff was responsible for, in Medieval Europe. His duties were to keep the peace and enforce the royal laws.
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Bailiwick
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bailiwick — I noun area, arena, authority, circle, department, district, domain, dominion, enclave, field, haunt, jurisdiction, orbit, precinct, province, purlieu, realm, region, specialty, sphere, sway, territory, ward II index domain (sphere of influence) … Law dictionary
Bailiwick — Bail i*wick, n. [Bailie, bailiff + wick a village.] (Law) The precincts within which a bailiff has jurisdiction; the limits of a bailiff s authority. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
bailiwick — district of a bailiff, early 15c., baillifwik, from BAILIFF (Cf. bailiff) (q.v.) + O.E. wic village (see WICK (Cf. wick) (2)). Figurative sense of one s natural or proper sphere is first recorded 1843 … Etymology dictionary
bailiwick — province, domain, territory, *field, sphere … New Dictionary of Synonyms
bailiwick — ► NOUN Law ▪ the district or jurisdiction of a bailiff. ORIGIN from BAILIFF(Cf. ↑bailiff) + Old English wick «dwelling place» … English terms dictionary
bailiwick — [bā′lə wik] n. [ME < baili,BAILIE + wik < OE wic, village: see ECONOMY] 1. the district of a bailiff 2. one s particular area of activity, authority, interest, etc … English World dictionary
Bailiwick — A bailiwick is the area of jurisdiction of a bailiff. The term was also applied to a territory in which the sheriff s functions were exercised by a privately appointed bailiff under a Crown grant. The word is now more generally used in a… … Wikipedia
bailiwick — n. in one s own bailiwick * * * [ beɪlɪwɪk] in one s own bailiwick … Combinatory dictionary
bailiwick — /bay leuh wik /, n. 1. the district within which a bailie or bailiff has jurisdiction. 2. a person s area of skill, knowledge, authority, or work: to confine suggestions to one s own bailiwick. [1425 75; late ME, equiv. to baili BAILIE + wick… … Universalium
Bailiwick — The district within the jurisdiction of a *bailiff. [< bailiff + OldEngl. wic = office, function] Cf. Bailiwick; wick … Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases
bailiwick — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) n. district, region; area of concern, business. II (Roget s 3 Superthesaurus) (VOCABULARY WORD) n. [BAL i wik] one s area of special interest or expertise. My personal bailiwick is paleontology. SYN.:… … English dictionary for students
