n. & v.
--n.
1. a person employed in an office, bank, shop, etc., to keep records, accounts, etc.
2 a secretary, agent, or record-keeper of a local council (town clerk), court, etc.
3 a lay officer of a church (parish clerk), college chapel, etc.
4 a senior official in Parliament.
5 US an assistant in a shop or hotel.
6 archaic a clergyman.
--v.intr. work as a clerk.
Phrases and idioms:
clerk in holy orders formal a clergyman. clerk of the course the judges' secretary etc. in horse or motor racing. clerk of the works (or of works) an overseer of building works etc.
Derivatives:
clerkdom n. clerkess n. Sc. clerkish adj. clerkly adj. clerkship n.
Etymology: OE cleric, clerc, & OF clerc, f. eccl.L clericus CLERIC