▪ I. sergeant, serjeant, n.
(ˈsɑːdʒənt)
Forms: α. 3–5 sergeaunte, 3–6 sergant(e, 4 sergiaunt, -gond, -gont(e, 4–5 sergaunt(e, seregeaun, 4–6 sarg(e)ante, -iant, sergeaunt, 5 sargeande, sergend, -gyaunte, 5– 6 sargantt, -eaunt(e, -ent, sergeand, 6 schargant, sergeante, -ent, -iand, -iaunte, 6–7 s(e)argeant, sergiant, 4– sergeant. β. 3–6 seriaunt, 3–7 seriant, 4 seriont, 4–5 seriaunte, 4–6 sariant, serieaunt, 5 ceriawnt, sariand, -aunt, seriauntte, seriawnt(e, serja(u)nte, 5–6 seriand, -ante, 6 sereiaunt, serjeaunt(e, 6–7 serieant, serjand, -ant, 7 sarient, sarjant, sarriant, 5– serjeant. (Down to the 15th c. the t was often omitted in the pl., which therefore ended in -ns, -nz, -nce.)
[a. OF. sergent, serjant (mod.F. sergent) = Pr. serven-s, Sp. sirviente, Pg., It. servente servant:—L. servientem, pr. pple. of servīre serve v.1 The Fr. word has been adopted into other Rom. langs.: It. sergente, Sp., Pg. sargento sergeant, Sp. sergente, Pg. sargente catchpoll.
Down to the 19th c. the α and β forms were used indiscriminately. In recent times, however, the spelling serjeant has come to be generally adopted as the correct form when the word is the designation of a member of the legal profession, while sergeant is the prevailing form in the other surviving senses, and in most of them the only form in use.]
† 1. a. A serving-man, attendant, servant. Obs.
| c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 177 Þe senden here sergantes to bringen iuele tiðinges. c 1250 Kent. Serm. in O.E. Misc. 29 Hac hye spac to þo serganz þet seruede of þo wyne. c 1290 Beket 687 in S. Eng. Leg. 126 On of is seriaunz sat a niȝt þe ȝwile þat men woke. a 1300 Floriz & Bl. 665 Þer ben seriauns in þe stage, Þat serue þe maidenes of parage. a 1300 Cursor M. 2516 He [sc. Abram] did to-geder samen his men, Thre hundret aght sariants and ten [Vulg. vernaculos, Gen. xiv. 14]. Ibid. 3221 A sargiant call þan comand he Þat mast wist of his priuete. c 1300 Havelok 2066 Cum now forth with me..And þine seriaunz al þre. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 2361 Ȝyf þou be a seriaunt And take more þan þy cunnaunt..Y rede þat þou þer-of lete. c 1330 Arth. & Merl. 2522 (Kölbing) On þe gate loude þai bete, Seriaunce com & hem in lete. 1340 Ayenb. 33 And þis is þe sixte vice of þe kueade sergonte. Þet he fayleþ er þan he come..to his terme. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. iii. 216 Seruantz [v.r. Sergauntz] for her seruise..Taken Mede of here maistre. c 1450 Lovelich Grail xii. 323 An Old Serjaunt he gan to calle, And there him Comaunded... The Cristene to kepen with ful gret honour. c 1450 Mirour Saluacioun (Roxb.) 133 Sho qwitte hym of awayt of hire ffaders sergeantz and lete him out at a wyndowe. |
† b. transf. A servant (of God, of Satan).
Obs.| c 1290 Matheu 64 in S. Eng. Leg. 79 ‘Nai certes’, quath þis holie man; ‘god nam ich nouȝt Ake godes seriaunt’. 14.. Alexius (Laud MS. 622) in Archiv Stud. neu. Spr. LIX. 104 Alexis hys sone..sayd, Sergeaunte of god haue pyte of me that am a poure pylgryme. 1483 Caxton G. de la Tour h ij, Which [Raab] god wold haue saued by cause she had saued his mynystres and sergeans. 1513 Bradshaw St. Werburge i. 1024 The minister of myschef & sergeaunt of sathanas. 1570 Satir. Poems Reform. xix. 78 That Apostat, that Feyndis awin Seriand. |
† 2. a. A common soldier.
Obs. [
Cf. Cotgr. ‘
Sergent..in old French, a footman, or souldier that serues on foot.’]
| c 1300 Havelok 2361 With hem fiue thusand gode Sergaunz, þat weren to fyht wode. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 895 Seuen þousand now we are Of knyghtes to bataille ȝare, Wyþoute seriauntz & oþer pytaille. a 1352 Minot Poems (ed. Hall) v. 22 He hasted him to þe Swin with sergantes snell. c 1450 Merlin 113 And the barons..were well viijml knyghtes, with-outen seriantz and arblastis. 1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 47 Sevin thousand knychtis, four score of thousandis of sergendis. 1490 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xxii. 478 He wythdrewe his arme, & gaff to one of the sergauntes suche a stroke wyth it in to y⊇ forhede that [etc.]. |
† b. In alliterative verse used for: A man.
Obs. Perh. with a pun on
geaunt, giant.
| ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 1173 Be sekere of this sergeaunt [sc. the giant], he has me sore greuede! 15.. Droichis Play in Dunbar's Poems (1893) 314 Se ȝe not quha is cum now?.. A sergeand out of Sowdoun land A gyane strang for to stand. |
† 3. A tenant by military service under the rank of a knight;
esp. one of this class attending on a knight in the field.
Obs. App. nearly equivalent to
esquire, though ‘squires’ and ‘sergeants’ are often mentioned together in a way that suggests that there was some difference of meaning in the terms.
Cf. F.
sergent noble.
| c 1290 Beket 2427 in S. Eng. Leg. 176 For to honouri þis holi man þer cam folk i-novȝ;..Of Eorles and of barones and manie kniȝtes heom to; Of seriaunz and of squiers. 13.. Coer de L. 1259 To Londoun, to hys somouns, Come erl, bysschop, and barouns,..and manye bachelers, Serjaunts, and every freeholdande. 13.. Seuyn Sag. 253 Som squier or som seriant nice, Had i-told th'emperice Al of th'emperoures sone. 13.. K. Alis. 3464 Mony baron, mony sergant, Mony strong knyght and géant. c 1314 Guy Warw. 7000 On ich side he seye come kniȝtes, Burieys, and seriaunce redi to fiȝtes. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 7210 Of hym [sc. the king] hauy no lond ne rent So þat y may not holde to me Fourty squiers [Petyt MS. sergeanz; Wace sergans] on al my fe. c 1400 Ywaine & Gaw. 1872 Knightes, serjantes, and swiers. c 1425 Wyntoun Chron. viii. xxix. 431 Off sergeandis þar and kynchtis keyn He gat a gret company. |
† 4. a. An officer whose duty is to enforce the judgements of a tribunal or the commands of a person in authority; one who is charged with the arrest of offenders or the summoning of persons to appear before the court.
Obs.| a 1300 Cursor M. 17293 Þai send sergantz for to nym Both sir nichodem & him. a 1330 Roland & V. 413 Seriaunce þe bodi souȝt. c 1386 Chaucer Clerk's T. 519 A maner sergeant [Petrarch satelles] was this prince man. ― Sec. Nun's T. 361 The sergeantz of the toun of Rome hem soghte And hem biforn Almache the Prefect broghte. 1388 Wyclif 1 Sam. xix. 14 Saul sente sergeauntis [Vulg. apparitores], that schulden rauysche Dauid. 14.. Nom. in Wr.-Wülcker 684/5 Hic lictor, a sargent. 1433 Rolls of Parlt. IV. 477/1 That the Baylyffs..make 11 Sergeauntes of the seid Town. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 67/1 Ceriawnt, indagator. Ibid. 453/2 Seriawnt, undyr a domys mann, for to a-rest menn, or a catche-pol. c 1450 Brut ii. 570 He..after sent forth sergeauntes, and arestit dyuers Constables and vinteners. 1455–6 Cal. Anc. Rec. Dublin (1889) 290 He schold assingne one of hys serjauntys to arest the Mayre. 1479–81 Rec. St. Mary at Hill (1904) 111 Item, payd to a sergeaunte for the arrest of our tenaunte þat dyd vs wronge, viij d. 1490 Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot. I. 174 To the sergeandis of the towne ix s. 1496 Ibid. 302 To the seriand of Leith, to rest the avnaris of the Cukow to the court ij s. 1533 Bellenden Livy i. xi. (S.T.S.) I. 66 And quhen þe seriandis [orig. præcones] had with þare noyiss and hohas warnit in speciall þe albanis to here þe kingis concioun [etc.]. Ibid. iii. xv. II. 5 Assembil þarefore now all þe seriandis and burreois of thy collegis [orig. omnes collegarum lictores], armit, as þare custome is, with wandis and axis. 1549 Coverdale, etc. Erasm. Par. 2 Cor. xi. 21–30 Thryse was I beaten with sargeauntes roddes. 1557 N. T. (Genev.) Matt. v. 25 Agre with thin aduersarie quickely..least..thy iudge deliuer thee to the seargeant. 1590 Shakes. Com. Err. iv. ii. 56 Oh yes, if any houre meete a Serieant, a turnes backe for verie feare. 1606 Bp. Hall Heaven upon Earth §6 When..thy conscience, like a stern Sergeant, shall catch thee by the throat, and arrest thee vpon Gods debt. 1611 Bible Acts xvi. 35. 1617 Moryson Itin. iii. 244 Foure Serjeants attired in red gownes attend the Senate and summon men to appeare. 1621 J. Taylor (Water-P.) Praise Beggery B 2, He's free from shoulder-clapping Sergeants clawes. 1633 Marmion Fine Comp. ii. vi. D 4 b, He may..consort with wits and sword-men, bee afraid of Sergeants, and spend more for his Protection then would pay the debt. 1648 Hexham ii, Een Schade-beletter, A Sargeant to save one from Harme. 1673 Aberdeen Reg. (1872) IV. 286 The toun serjands of this brughe. 1680 C. Nesse Ch. Hist. 378 They were put into the serjeants ward. |
b. transf. and
fig.| 1413 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton) i. xxii. (1859) 24 Thylke dethes sergeaunt, maladye, She hath arest, and haldyth the now in hande. 1593 G. Harvey Pierces Super. 163 He shall finde it one of their speciall Priuiledges, to be exempted from the arrest of the sixfooted Sergeant, a continuall haunter of other hairy beastes, and onely fauorable to the good Asse, and the gentle Sheepe. 1600 Tourneur Transf. Metam. xli, One day? Nay sure a twelve-months' time t'will be, Ere seriant death will call me at my doore. 1602 Shakes. Ham. v. ii. 347 Had I but time (as this fell Sergeant death Is strick'd in his arrest) oh I could tell you. 1618 Bp. Hall Contempl. N.T., Widow's Son, Our decrepit age both expects death and sollicites it; but vigorous youth, lookes strangely upon that grim sergeant of God. 1646 W. Jenkyn Remora 12 You shall not be able to intoxicate this Sergeant of God [conscience]. 1681 J. Flavel Meth. Grace xxxv. 594 If ever God send forth those two grim sergeants, his Law and thine own conscience, to arrest thee for thy sins. |
† c. More fully
sergeant of (the) peace.
Obs.| 1357 in Blount Law Dict. (1691) s.v., Et etiam habere ibidem sex Servientes qui vocantur Serjeants of peace, qui servient Cur. Manerii prædicti, & facient Attach[iamenta] [etc.]. 1464 Rolls of Parlt. V. 541/2 Th'Office of Sergeant to the pees of alle oure Countees, in alle oure Lordship. 1485 Ibid. VI. 380/2 The Offices of Sergeaunt of Peas..in the Lordship of Denbygh. |
d. King's sergeant (
Guernsey): see
quot.| 1682 Warburton Hist. Guernsey (1822) 58 The King's Sergeant... To his office it belongs to proclaim and publish all orders of the governor or of the Court. |
5. sergeant (or serjeant) at arms. (Also
† sergeant of arms.)
† a. In early use
gen., an armed officer in the service of a lord (
cf. sense 1);
spec. one of a body of men of knightly rank, originally 24 in number, who were required to be in immediate attendance on the king's person, to arrest traitors and other offenders.
b. An officer of each of the two Houses of Parliament, who is charged with the duty of enforcing the commands of the House, the arrest of offenders, etc. Hence, an officer having corresponding duties under certain other legislative assemblies, as the
U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xix. 335 Now is Pieres to þe plow & pruyde it aspyde, And gadered hym a grete oest..And sente forth surquydous his seriaunt of armes. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 632 He sendez furthe sodaynly sergeantes of armes. 1449 Rolls of Parlt. V. 159/1 One of the Sargeauntes of Armes of our Soverayne Lord the Kyng. c 1460 J. Russell Bk. Nurture in Babees Bk. (1868) 71 A yeman of þe crowne Sargeaunt of armes with mace. 1462 Paston Lett. II. 87 Ther bode not with hym [a bishop] over xij persones atte the most, with his serjaunt of armes; whiche serjaunt was fayn to lay doun his mase. 1470–85 Malory Arthur x. lxxxviii. 569 Thre sergeauntes of armes. 1473 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 84/1 His Office of oone of oure Sergeauntes at Armes. 1481 Cov. Leet-bk. 496 Ric. Shawe was arrested be þe seriaunt of armes þat brought þe writyng & caried vp to Wodstok vnto þe kyng. 1491 Act 7 Hen. VII, c. 2. §8 Serjauntes of Armes that be purposely ordeyned for the personall attendaunce of the..King. 1556 Chron. Grey Friars (Camden) 45 A sergant at harmes of the parlament howse. 1565 Cooper Thesaurus, Apparitor regis, a serieaunt at armes. 1633 T. Stafford Pac. Hib. i. i. 7 A Serjeant at Armes, who shall beare the Mace of the Queenes Majesties Armes before him. 1710 J. Chamberlayne St. Gt. Brit. i. ii. xiii. (ed. 23) 96 Knocking at the Door of the House of Commons, which thereupon is by the Serjeant at Arms attending the House opened. 1769 Blackstone Comm. IV. xix. 259 The lord high steward directs a precept to a serjeant at arms, to summon the lords to attend and try the indicted peer. 1827 Hallam Const. Hist. (1876) III. xiii. 25 Four counsel..were taken into custody of the Sergeant-at-arms by the speaker's warrant. 1886 C. E. Pascoe London of To-day viii. (ed. 3) 89 Seats for this space are in the gift of the Sergeant-at-Arms. |
6. As a title borne by a lawyer. (Now always written
serjeant.)
a. A member of a superior order of barristers (abolished in 1880), from which, until 1873, the Common Law judges were always chosen (hence a serjeant was always called by a judge ‘my brother So-and-so’). More explicitly,
serjeant at († the) law,
† serjeant of (the) law. Sometimes called
serjeant of the coif: see
coif n. 3 b.
The title represents the law Latin
serviens ad legem, which may be rendered ‘one who serves (the king) in matters of law’.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 8833 Mid is wisdom þat was so muche he hom out drou & false serians of assise & dude hom ssame ynon. 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 6084 Þai sal þan na help gett Of sergeaunt, ne auturne, ne avoket. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. iii. 276 Schal no seriaunt for þat seruise were a selk houue. c 1386 Chaucer Prol. 309 A Sergeant of the Lawe war and wys. 1404 Rolls of Parlt. III. 549/1 The Kynges entent is, to assigne..alle his Justices, and his Sergeantz. c 1435 in Kingsford Chron. London (1905) 57 Markham the Justice and Gascoigne Seriaunt of lawe. 1486 Bk. St. Albans f vj b, A sotelty of sergeauntis. 1501 in Plumpton Corr. (Camden) 152 note, John Yaxley, Sergent at the Law. 1503 Privy Purse Exp. Eliz. York (1830) 101 Item to John Mordant Sargeant at Lawe xl s. c 1530 Heywood Love 808 (Brandl) Nowe am I a iudge and neuer was seriaunt. 1540 Palsgr. Acolastus ii. iii. L j b, To Poules crosse, or to the barre, where sergeantes plede in westmister hall. 1552 Edw. VI Jrnl. Lit. Rem. (Roxb.) 415 Also ther ware appointed eight sergeants of the law against Michelmas next comming. 1597 Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. lxvi. §9 A linnen Coife,..an ornament which only Sergeants at law doe weare. 1602 J. Chamberlain Lett. (Camden) 132 One Pelham, a lawyer, was made sergeant to be sent Cheife Baron into Ireland. 1656 Blount Glossogr., Sergeant at Law (or of the Coyf) is the highest degree, taken in that profession, as a Doctor of the Civil Law. 1697 Dryden Ded. æneis Ess. (Ker) II. 162 A judge upon the bench..does not willingly commend his brother serjeant at the bar, especially when he controuls his law. 1710 J. Chamberlayne St. Gt. Brit. i. ii. xv. (ed. 23) 122 None may be Judge in this Court, unless he be a Sergeant of the Degree of the Coif. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 89 ¶1 At present he is a Serjeant at Law. 1712 Arbuthnot John Bull iii. viii, Serjeant such a one has a Silver Tongue at the Bar. 1764 Oxf. Sausage 172 Marking grave Serjeants cite each wise Report. 1819 Taunton Rep. Cases Comm. Pleas VII. 183 Lens and Vaughan, Serjts. now shewed cause against this rule. 1829 Encycl. Metrop. (1845) XX. 762/2 Three Inns have belonged from very early times to the Judges and Sergeants at Law. 1841 Penny Cycl. XXI. 272/1 A paper endorsed with..the words ‘Mr. Serjeant A (or ‘Mr. B’), retainer for the plaintiff’ (or for the defendant). 1846 M{supc}Culloch Acc. Brit. Empire (1854) II. 155 Serjeants are sworn to do their duty to their clients. 1873 Act 36 & 37 Vict. c. 66 §8 Provided, that no person appointed a Judge of either of the said Courts shall henceforth be required to take, or have taken, the degree of Serjeant-at-Law. |
| transf. (jocular) 1663 Butler Hud. i. iii. 1164 By black caps underlaid with white, Give certain guess at inward light; Which Serjeants at the Gospel wear, To make the Spiritual Calling clear. |
b. the King's (or Queen's) Serjeant: a title given to a limited number of the serjeants-at-law, appointed by patent.
The king's serjeants were supposed to be charged with the duty of pleading in the courts on behalf of the crown; but from an early period it had ceased to be more than an honorary distinction. The senior in rank of the king's serjeants was designated ‘the King's Serjeant’, and the second ‘The King's Ancient Serjeant’.
| 1423 Rolls of Parlt. IV. 201/2 The King' Sergeant to be sworne..to yeve the poor Man..Counsaill. 1454 Ibid. V. 240/1 Oon of the Kynges Sergeauntz atte lawe. 1482 Ibid. VI. 207/1 Richard Pygot, and Roger Townessend, the Kyng's Sergeants of the Lawe. 1512 Act 4 Hen. VIII, c. 11 Lews Pollard the Kynges serjeaunt at the Lawe. 1602 Coke Rep. iii. To Rdr. D iv b, Out of these the King electeth one, two, or three as please him to be his Serieants, which are called the Kings Serieants. 1710 J. Chamberlayne St. Gt. Brit. ii. iii. xxx. (ed. 23) 576 The Queens Serjeants at Law. 1825 Encycl. Metrop. (1845) XVII. 308/2 The King's Serjeant, so constituted by special patent; the King's Ancient Serjeant. 1882 W. Ballantine Exper. I. 209 A post filled at that time by Mr. Serjeant Manning, Queen's ancient serjeant. 1886 Encycl. Brit. XXI. 682/2 Until 1814 the two senior King's serjeants had precedence of even the attorney-general and solicitor-general. |
c. prime serjeant: the title given until 1805 to the first in rank of the three (earlier two) serjeants-at-law in Ireland. (Afterwards called
first serjeant.)
| 1666 in Cal. St. Papers Irel. 1666–9 (1908) 73 Sir Audley Mervin, Prime Sergeant at Law. 1733 Berkeley Let. Wks. 1871 IV. 205 The prime serjeant, Singleton, may probably be a means of assisting you to get light in these particulars. a 1797 H. Howard in 3rd Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. 434/1 John Hely Hutchinson, Prime Serj{supt} at law, y⊇ vainest man alive, set his heart upon y⊇ place. c 1799 Sir L. Parsons in Charlemont MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm. 1894) II. 404 There is no end of the turnings-out talked of,..―lord Carhampton, the prime serjeant,..and even Toler. The prime serjeant is, I believe, certain. 1806 Duncan Nelson's Funeral 31 Prime Serjeant. |
d. Common Serjeant (at Law). A judicial officer appointed by the Corporation of London as an assistant to the Recorder.
| [1419 Liber Albus (Rolls) I. 47 Le..Commune Sergeaunt de ley, qui autrement est dit ‘Commune Countour’.] 1556 Chron. Grey Friars (Camden) 64 It was proclamyd opynly with the kynges shreffe & two harraldes & two pursevanttes & a trumpet, with the comyne sargant of the citte of London. 1680 Lex Londin. 55 The Common Serjeant of the City is the only person intrusted by the Court of Aldermen to take all Inventories and Accompts of freemens’ estates. 1797 Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3) XVII. 292/2 Common Sergeant, an officer..who attends the lord mayor..on court days. 1844 Ld. Brougham Brit. Const. xvi. (1862) 366 So high judicial functionaries as the Recorder of London and the Common Sergeant are elected. 1861 [see countour 2]. 1887 Times 27 Aug. 11/4 The three City Judges (the Recorder, the Common Serjeant, and Mr. Commissioner Kerr). 1890 Ibid. 28 Apr. 11/6 The Common Serjeant sentenced the prisoner to two years' hard labour. |
7. (Now commonly written
sergeant; in some uses
serjeant appears to be officially adopted.) In the titles of certain officers of the Royal Household.
a. The head of a specified department, as
sergeant of the cellar, of the
saucery, of the
vestry.
† Also
s. of the bears, a bearward;
s. of the minstrels;
s. of the surgeons,
sergeant of the trumpets = sergeant-surgeon, sergeant-trumpeter.
| 1450 Rolls of Parlt. V. 192/1 William Pecke Clerke of oure Spicerye, Ric' Ludlowe Sergeant of oure Seler. Ibid., Robert Broune Sergeant of oure Saucerye. Ibid., Sergeant of oure Chaundelerye. 1464 [see masonry A. 3]. 1526 in Househ. Ord. (1790) 140 The Serjeant of the bake-house. Ibid. 141 The Serjeant of the chaundry... The Serjeant of the ewry. Ibid. 142 The Serjeant of the larder. Ibid. 143 The Serjeant of the squillery. Ibid. 169 Serjeant of the Mynstrills. 1539 Cromwell Let. 24 Apr. in Strype Eccl. Mem. (1733) I. ii. 272 Jenyngs, Sergeant to your Graces Pastery House. 1541 in Vicary's Anat. (1888) App. ii. 109 Thomas Sperin and his son sergiantes of the beres. 1561 Vicary Will in Anat. (1888) App. vi. 187, I, Thomas Vicars, Seriante of the Suriantes vnto our saide soueraigne ladie the quenes maiestie. 1710 J. Chamberlayne St. Gt. Brit. i. ii. xiv. (ed. 23) 120–1 The Sergeant of the King's Wood-Yard... The Sergeant of the Ewry... The Sergeant of the Larder. Ibid. ii. iii. xvii. 534 H. Parker, Esq; Serj. of the Vestry. 1721 Strype Eccl. Mem. II. i. i. 2 The Sergeants of the Trumpets. |
b. Prefixed appositively to certain designations of office, as
sergeant-cater,
sergeant-farrier (
sergeant-ferrour),
sergeant-footman,
sergeant-painter,
sergeant-plumber,
sergeant-porter,
sergeant-squiller,
sergeant-surgeon (
† sergeant chirurgeon),
sergeant-tailor,
sergeant-trumpet,
sergeant-trumpeter.
Many other similar designations, adopted from Anglo-French, and not proved to have been used in English, will be found in F. Tate,
Household Ord. Edw. II, 1601 (new
ed. 1876).
| 1614 T. Gentleman Engl. Way to Wealth 25 His Maiesties *Seriant Cater. |
| a 1529 Skelton Dyuers Balettys Wks. 1843 I. 24 Haue in *sergeaunt ferrour, myne horse behynde is bare. 1710 J. Chamberlayne St. Gt. Brit. ii. iii. xx. (ed. 23) 549 Serjeant Farrier, John Willis, Esq. |
| 1901 Westm. Gaz. 9 May 7/3 *Sergeant-footman Boswell. |
| 1548 in Kempe Losely MSS. (1836) 81 To Anthony Toto, *sergeante payntor, in rewarde for his paynes takyng..in drawyng of patrons for the masks 20s. 1720 Lond. Gaz. No. 5848/3 His Majesty's Serjeant-Painter. 1887 Pater Imag. Portr. 146 The sergeant-painter and deputy sergeant-painter were conventional performers enough. |
| 1533 in Hampton Crt. Accts., The Kynges *sergeaunt plumber. 1663 Gerbier Counsel 58 The Serjeant Plumber calling his workmen to caste in his presence a Leaden Medal. |
| 1450 Rolls of Parlt. V. 192/2 John Stok *Sergeant porter of oure Gate. 1710 J. Chamberlayne St. Gt. Brit. ii. iii. xix. (ed. 23) 545 To the Serjeant Porter. 1821 Scott Kenilw. xv, One of the sergeant porters told them they could not at present enter. 1901 Whitaker's Almanack 87 Sergeant State Porter. |
| a 1483 Liber Niger in Househ. Ord. (1790) 81 He rescevethe..all the plates of peautyr by the pourveyaunce of the *sergeaunt-squylloure. |
| 1710 J. Chamberlayne St. Gt. Brit. ii. iii. xix. (ed. 23) 545 *Serjeant skinner. |
| 1565 J. Halle Hist. Expost. 19 Maister Vicary, late *sargeant chyrurgien to the queenes highnes. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones viii. xiii, Serjeant-surgeon to the King. 1812 Lond. Gaz. No. 16663. 2189/1 Serjeant-Surgeon to His Majesty. 1901 Whitaker's Almanack 88 Sergeant Surgeon, Lord Lister. |
| 1480 Wardrobe Acc. Edw. IV in Privy Purse Exp. Eliz. York, etc. (1830) 155 George Lufkyn *Sergeant taillour of the grete Warderobe of the Kynge. |
| 1588 Deloney in Roxb. Ball. (1887) VI. 391 The *Sargeant trumpet with his mace, and nyne with trumpets after him, Bare headed went before her grace. 1708 Lond. Gaz. No. 4416/4 Her Majesty has appointed John Shore, Esq; Serjeant-Trumpet of Great Britain. |
| 1603 Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., Var. Coll. III. 164 *Serjeant trumpeter. 1700 Luttrell Brief Rel. (1857) I. 413 Gervas Price esq., serjeant trumpeter to his majestie, died lately. 1901 Whitaker's Almanack 87 Sergeant Trumpeter. |
8. a. In the titles of certain inferior officers employed by the Corporation of the City of London, and by other municipal bodies.
| 1423 Cov. Leet-Bk. 43 Þer schall no beestys be pynnyd at the comen pynfold by the comien seriante. 1672 Cave Prim. Chr. iii. v. 359 Satan as the Common Serjeant and Jaylor seized upon them. 1710 J. Chamberlayne St. Gt. Brit. ii. iii. xliv (ed. 23) 631 Serjeant-Carvers... Serjeants of the Chamber or Mace... Moses Griffith, Serjeant of the Channel. 1720 [see taker 2 g]. 1766 Entick Lond. III. 307 The officers belonging to the lord-mayor,..are..the three serjeant carvers; three serjeants of the chamber; a serjeant of the channel [etc.]. 1835 App. Munic. Corpor. Rep. iv. 2345 [At Lincoln.] Four Serjeants of the Key or Bailiffs. Ibid. ii. 998 (Hastings) The Mayor's Serjeant..serves process; attends the corporation meetings with a mace; and is sworn in as a constable... The Common Serjeant, who is also a serjeant at mace,..has the same salary and clothing as the mayor's serjeant. |
b. sergeant at († the) mace,
† sergeant of (the) mace: an inferior executive officer (
cf. sense 4), carrying a mace as a badge of office.
| c 1420 Anturs of Arth. 64 The king..folowed fast one þe tras, Withe many Sergeant of mas. Ibid. 498 Þe lordes bylyue hom to list ledes With many seriant of mace, as was þe manere. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 67/1 Ceriawnt of mace, apparitor. 1474 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 103/1 Henry Neuton, oon of the Sergeants at Mace of Robert Billesdon, oon of the Shirrefs of the Cite of London. 1510 Sel. Cases Star Chamb. (Selden) II. 70 The meyer..sent oon John Yong sergeaunt att the mace within the seid Towne to the seid Priour. 1556 Chron. Grey Friars (Camden) 43 For arest of Robert Taylor sergant of maysse. 1680 in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 506 If the Sergeants-at-Mace shall neglect theire duty in not summoning every member of the Council [etc.]. 1715 Lond. Gaz. No. 5394/4 Cesar Grist, Serjeant at Mace to the Bailiffs of the Corporation of Welsh Poole. 1761 in Entick London (1766) IV. 369 The serjeants at mace for the city to arrest for debt in the Borough. 1797 Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3) XVII. 292 Sergeants of the mace of an inferior kind. 1835 [see 8]. 1901 Whitaker's Almanack 178 [Lord Mayor's Court.] Sergeant at Mace. |
| transf. 1745 P. Thomas Jrnl. Anson's Voy. 211 A hundred Soldiers..follow'd with a hundred Serjeants at Mace. 1790 Burke Fr. Rev. Wks. 1808 V. 356 He appears to be nothing more than a chief of bumbailiffs, serjeants at mace, catch⁓poles, jailers and hangmen. |
† c. Sc. An officer of a guild.
Obs.| 1557 Baxter-bks. St. Andrews (1903) 10, viii d to thomas demster, yair schargant. |
9. Mil. a. (Now always written
sergeant.) In modern use, a non-commissioned officer of the grade above that of corporal. In the 16th c. the title, more explicitly
† sergeant of a band [
= F.
sergent de bande], appears, like many other military titles, to have indicated a much higher rank than in later times. See also colour-sergeant, drill-
sergeant, recruiting-
sergeant,
sergeant-major.
| 1548 Patten Exped. Scot. H vij b, Sargeauntes of the band to the foreward. 1579 Digges Stratiot. 86 This Serjeant ought perfitly by memorie to know every Souldiour within the Bande. 1590 Sir R. Williams Brief Disc. War 26 The least Serieant of a Band, being a naturall Spaniard, will seeme to command the greatest man of qualitie of anie other Nation. 1593 Sutcliffe Pract. & Law Arms 61 The officers of companies, namely lieutenants, ensignes, sergiants, corporals, are chosen by the captaines of companies. 1624 W. G. Count Mansfield's Direct. Warre 11 If all the three fore-named Officers [Captain, Lieutenant, and Ensign] be out of the way by any accident, then the eldest Sergiant is to command the Company as next in place. 1690 Mackenzie Siege Londonderry 47/2 Serjeants, Corporals, Drummers, and private Men 2d. per diem each, besides Bread. 1709 Steele Tatler No. 87 ¶1 The Epistle is from one Serjeant Hall of the Foot-Guards. 1833 Marryat P. Simple xi, All disputed points were settled by the sergeant of marines with a party, who divided their antagonists from the Jews. 1898 Steevens With Kitchener to Khartum 274 ‘Fall out, sergeant, you're wounded,’ said the subaltern of his troop. |
b. Prefixed appositively to various designations of offices in which sergeants are employed, as
sergeant armourer,
sergeant bugler,
sergeant clerk,
sergeant compounder,
sergeant cook,
sergeant drummer,
sergeant farrier,
sergeant instructor,
sergeant master tailor,
sergeant-pilot,
sergeant saddler,
sergeant schoolmaster,
sergeant tailor,
sergeant trumpeter.
| 1810 Wellington in Gurw. Desp. (1838) VI. 308 *Serjeant armourers and serjeant saddlers' implements. |
| 1901 Whitaker's Almanack 220 *Sergt. Bugler. |
| 1895 Outing (U.S.) XXVII. 252/1 It changes the title of the brigade sergeant-major to that of *sergeant-clerk. |
| 1901 Whitaker's Almanack 220 *Sergeant Cook. |
| 1899 Westm. Gaz. 27 June 1/2 A *sergeant-drummer in each battalion of the Grenadier, Coldstream, and Scots Guards. |
| 1876 Voyle & Stevenson Milit. Dict., *Sergeant instructor. |
| 1865 Army Clothing Warrant 30 The *Sergeant Master Tailor. |
| 1919 J. T. B. Mccudden Five Years in R.F.C. III. iii. 86 About the end of August, 1915, a *Serjeant-Pilot named Watts arrived for duty. a 1963 J. Lusby in ‘B. James’ Austral. Short Stories (1963) 221 The new boys comprised Australians, Englishmen, and Canadians... Most were sergeant-pilots, and in age retired school-boys. |
| 1837 King's Regul. Army 239 The *Serjeant-Schoolmasters. |
| 1900 Westm. Gaz. 12 Dec. 4/2 The Secretary of State..is causing inquiries to be made on the feasibility of having officers' uniforms made by the *sergeant-tailors of their regiments. |
10. (Now always written
sergeant.) A police officer, of higher rank than a simple constable; in Great Britain ranking next below an inspector.
| 1839 Hood Lost Heir 36 Oh serjeant M{supc}Farlane! you have not come across my poor little boy, have you, in your beat? 1856 A. Wynter Curios. Civiliz. 469 The force consists of three inspectors, nine sergeants, and a body of police termed ‘plain-clothes men’. |
11. Comb. Sergeant Baker Australian, a fish of New South Wales,
Aulopus purpurissatus;
† sergeant corn Sc., ? some feudal impost paid in corn;
sergeant-fish, a name applied to various fishes having marks like the stripes on the sleeve of a sergeant's uniform,
esp. Rachycentron canadum, the cobia, a large game fish found in tropical and subtropical seas;
† sergeant-loaf, some kind of bread;
† serjeant's ring, one of the rings which a newly appointed serjeant-at-law was required by custom to present to various persons of high rank or official position.
| 1882 J. E. Tenison-Woods Fish N.S. Wales 82 The *Sergeant Baker in all probability..was called after a sergeant of that name. |
| 1581 Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot. 107/2 Lie *serjand-corne. |
| 1873 Forest & Stream I. 258/1 *Sergeant Fish..derives its trivial name from a black stripe running along its silvery sides..like that on the trowsers of a sergeant. 1884 Goode, etc. Nat. Hist. Aquatic Anim. 444 The name ‘Sergeant-fish’ refers to its peculiar coloration, several stripes of brown and gray being visible on the sides of the body. 1947 K. H. Barnard Dict. Guide S. Afr. Fishes 112 Sergeant⁓fish... A somewhat rare fish, of elongate shape,..occasionally caught at Port Elizabeth and Natal. 1958 Washington Post 24 Sept. 1/2 An unusually fine run of cobia (the sergeant fish)..has caused big game fishermen to toss caution to the gods of Izaak Walton. |
| 1341 Secretum Abb. Glastonie (MS. Wood empt. 1) lf. 146 b, Unum panem uocatum Priketlof, et alterum panem uocatum Bastardlof et tercium panem uocatum *seriauntlof de Panetria predicti abbatis. |
| 1690 Lond. Gaz. No. 2613/4 They offered to sell or pawn.., one Gold *Sergeants Ring, and one pair of Gold Lockets. |
▪ II. † ˈsergeant, a. Obs. rare—1.
[Back-formation from sergeanty.] In
grand sergeant,
petit sergeant, said of a tenure by grand or petit serjeanty respectively.
| 1513 Bradshaw St. Werburge ii. 1771 Many helde their landes..By tenure grand-seriante..Some by petit-seriant. |
▪ III. † ˈsergeant, v. Obs.—1 [a. OF. sergenter, f. sergent sergeant n.] intr. To act as a sergeant.
| c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode iv. xxi. (1869) 187 After þat þat þe matere is..ordeyned, þer after j shal sergeaunte [orig. use de ma commission] and werche diuerseliche. |