(~s, ~ing, ~ed)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
In Britain and some other countries, a ~ is a person who is in charge of a particular government department.
When the government had come to power, he had been named ~ of culture...
The new Defence Minister is Senator Robert Ray.
N-COUNT: oft N of n, n N
2.
A ~ is a person who officially represents their government in a foreign country and has a lower rank than an ambassador.
He concluded a deal with the Danish ~ in Washington.
N-COUNT: usu supp N
3.
A ~ is a member of the clergy, especially in Protestant churches.
His father was a Baptist ~.
N-COUNT
4.
If you ~ to people or to their needs, you serve them or help them, for example by making sure that they have everything they need or want. (FORMAL)
For 44 years he had ~ed to the poor, the sick, the neglected and the deprived.
VERB: V to n