[ '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.