2. A division of a State, embracing several contiguous townships; a county. [U. S.]
Note: Shire is commonly added to the specific designation of a county as a part of its name; as, Yorkshire instead of York shire, or the shire of York; Berkshire instead of Berks shire. Such expressions as the county of Yorkshire, which in a strict sense are tautological, are used in England. In the United States the composite word is sometimes the only name of a county; as, Berkshire county, as it is called in Massachusetts, instead of Berks county, as in Pensylvania. The Tyne, Tees, Humber, Wash, Yare, Stour, and Thames separate the counties of Northumberland, Durham, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, etc. Encyc. Brit. Knight of the shire. See under Knight. — Shire clerk, an officer of a county court; also, an under sheriff. [Eng.] — Shire mote (Old. Eng. Law), the county court; sheriff's turn, or court. [Obs.] Cowell. Blackstone. — Shire reeve (Old Eng. Law), the reeve, or bailiff, of a shire; a sheriff. Burrill. — Shire town, the capital town of a county; a county town. — Shire wick, a county; a shire. [Obs.] Holland.
SHIRE HORSE
Shire horse.
Defn: One of an English breed of heavy draft horses believed to be descended largely from the horses used in war in the days of heavy armor. They are the largest of the British draft breeds, and have long hair on the back of the cannons and fetlocks. Brown or bay with white on the face and legs is now the commonest color.
SHIRK
Shirk, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Shirked; p. pr. & vb. n. Shirking.] Etym:
[Probably the same word as shark. See Shark, v. t.]
1. To procure by petty fraud and trickery; to obtain by mean solicitation. You that never heard the call of any vocation, . . . that shirk living from others, but time from Yourselves. Bp. Rainbow.
2. To avoid; to escape; to neglect; — implying unfaithfulness or fraud; as, to shirk duty. The usual makeshift by which they try to shirk difficulties. Hare.
SHIRK
Shirk, v. i.
1. To live by shifts and fraud; to shark.
2. To evade an obligation; to avoid the performance of duty, as by running away. One of the cities shirked from the league. Byron.