n. [In this and the next four senses usually spelled serjeant.] A servant; a retainer; an armed attendant; in the fourteenth century, one holding lands by tenure of military service, commonly used as not including those who had received knighthood (afterward called esquires). Serjeants were called to various specific lines of duty besides service in war.n. n. An officer of an incorporated municipality who was charged with duties corresponding to those previously or elsewhere performed by an officer of the crown.n. Hence, alson. A substitute upon whom a serjeant was allowed to devolve the personal discharge of his duties; a bailiff.n. One of a body or corps attendant on the sovereign, and on the lord high steward on the trial of a peer; a serjeant-at-arms.n. [In this sense the modern spelling is serjeant.] In England and Ireland, a lawyer of high rank.n. In Virginia, an officer in towns having powers corresponding to those of constable; in cities, an officer having powers connected with the city court corresponding to those of sheriff, and also charged with collecting city revenues.n. A non-commissioned officer of the army and marines in the grade next above corporal, and usually selected from among the corporals for his intelligence and good conduct.n. A police officer of superior rank.n. A servant in monastic offices.n. In ichthyology, the sergeant-fish.n. A similar attendant on the king's person in France.n. An executive officer in certain legislative bodies. In the United States Senate he serves processes, makes arrests, and aids in preserving order; the sergeant-at-arms in the House of Representatives has similar duties, and also has charge of the pay-accounts of the members.n. [The two spellings sergeant and serjeant are both correct, and were formerly used indifferently. Sergeant, however, is more in accordance with modern analogies, and now generally prevails except in the legal sense, and as applied to feudal tenants, to certain officers of the royal household, and, in part, to officers of municipal and legislative bodies, where the archaic spelling serjeant is retained. See defs. 1–5, above.]
