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beadle definition

bea·dle (bēd'l)

noun

  1. Historical a minor parish officer in the Church of England, who kept order in church
  2. Obsolete a messenger of a law court

Etymology: ME bidel (< OE bydel, akin to beodan, to bid, order), bedel < OFr bedel < Frank *bidal, akin to OE form

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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