shrievalty

[ shree-vuh l-tee ]

/ ˈʃri vəl ti /

noun, plural shriev·al·ties.

the office, term, or jurisdiction of a sheriff.

Nearby words

shrewmouse, shrewsbury, shri, shriek, shrieval, shrievalty, shrieve, shrift, shrike, shrill, shrimp

Origin of shrievalty

1495–1505; shrieve¹ + -alty, as in mayoralty

Also called sheriffalty.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for shrievalty

He ought to do something to make his shrievalty memorable… and, moreover, the Lord-Lieutenant was an old man.
Brother Copas|Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch
In 1855, however, he was unexpectedly called upon to discharge the duties of the Shrievalty.
Norfolk Annals|Charles Mackie
In the first row stood Monceux, in all the pomp of his shrievalty, with his councilmen and aldermen.
Robin Hood|Paul Creswick
A very pretty custom obtained, as we learn by the records of Evelyn's father's shrievalty.
A Righte Merrie Christmasse|John Ashton

Twice Watt was requested to undertake the honor of the shrievalty; in 1803 that of Staffordshire, and in Pg.
James Watt|Andrew Carnegie

British Dictionary definitions for shrievalty

shrievalty

/ (ˈʃriːvəltɪ) /

noun plural -ties

the office or term of office of a sheriff

the jurisdiction of a sheriff

Word Origin for shrievalty

C16: from shrieve, on the model of mayoralty

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012