SHIRE


Meaning of SHIRE in English

[ 'ʃʌɪə ]

■ noun

1》 Brit. a county, especially in England.

↘( the Shires ) the parts of England regarded as strongholds of traditional rural culture, especially the rural Midlands.

2》 a medieval administrative district ruled jointly by an alderman and a sheriff.

3》 Austral. a rural area with its own elected council.

Origin

OE scīr 'care, official charge, county', of Gmc origin.

Concise Oxford English vocab.      Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка.