ˈbālə̇f noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English bailif, bailiff, bailie, from Old French baillif, bailliu, baillu, from bail jurisdiction — more at bail
1. : one deputed to exercise public administrative authority locally ; specifically chiefly Britain : a sheriff's deputy — used formerly as a title of nearly any officer (as a mayor, sheriff, or chief officer of a hundred) in England nominated by the king; now used (1) as a title of the chief magistrate of some British towns and of a keeper of some royal castles and (2) as the English equivalent of the title of certain magistrates (as the Scottish bailie or the German landvogt) in countries other than England
2. : one having the custody and management of property for another: as
a. Britain : the agent of a lord (as for the collection of rents)
b. chiefly Britain : one that manages an estate or farm for another
3. : a court officer who seats witnesses and spectators, announces the entrance of the judge, and keeps order in the court
• bai·liff·ship -ˌship noun -s