n.
Pronunciation: ' sh ī (- ə )r, in place-name compounds ˌ shir, sh ə r
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English sc ī r office, shire; akin to Old High German sc ī ra care
Date: before 12th century
1 : an administrative subdivision especially : a county in England
2 : any of an old breed of large heavy draft horses of British origin having heavily feathered legs
shire