Reeve

An ancient English officer of justice, inferior in rank to an alderman. He was a ministerial officer appointed to execute process, keep the king's peace, and put the laws in execution. He witnessed all contracts and bargains, brought offenders to justice, and delivered them to punishment,/took bail for such as were to appear at the county court, and presided at the court or folcmote. He was also called "gerefa." There were several kinds of reeves; as, the shire gerefa, shire reeve, or sheriff; the heh gerefa, or high sheriff, tithing reeve, burgh or borough reeve.

An ancient English officer of justice, inferior in rank to an alderman. He was a ministerial officer appointed to execute process, keep the king’s peace, and put the laws in execution. He witnessed all contracts and bargains, brought offenders to justice and delivered them to punishment, took bail for such as were to appear at the county court, and presided at the court or folcmote. lie was also called gerefa. There were several kinds of reeves: as, the shire-gerefa, shire-reeve or sheriff; the heh~gerefa, or high-sheriff; tithing -reeve, burghor or borough- reeve.

In old English law. A ministerial officer of justice. His duties seem to have combined many of those now confided to the sheriff or constable and to the justice .of the peace. He was also called, in Saxon, "gerefa."

— Land reeve. See Land.

Steward; officer. The original Anglo-Saxon was gerefa, distinguished, famous.* The word is preserved in a few proper names and in port-reeve, sea-reeve, shei*ilf, gq. v.

sax. Oerefa. A ministerial officer.

An old word signifying officer. It is differently defined in the books which attempt to say what sort of an officer it imported; apparently because it was applied to many officers of different rank and powers. As a separate word, it is not in frequent use now-ardays; but appears in some compounds, such as sheriff, a corruption of shire-reeve; port-reeve; hog-reeve.