sherIffalty, sherIffdom, sherIffship, sherIff wick

[Eng. sheriff; -alty, -dom, -ship, wick.] The office or jurisdiction of a sheriff; shrievalty. "Not only writs or orders were sent to the nobility and clergy in the several sheriff wicks and bailiwicks, but to the commons, to a emble and take into consideration how to redre grievances, and support the public expenses."-Bolingbroke: Di ertation upon Parties sher-riffe, 8. [SHERIFF.] sherris-sack, s. Sherry. "A good sherris- sack hath a two-fold operation in it: it ascends me into the brain." Shakesp.: Henry IV., Pt . II ., iv. 3. sher'-rý, subst . [From the town of Xeres, near Cadiz, in Spain, whence it was brought. The original form of the word was sherris , the final s of which was dropped from a mistaken idea that it was the plural ending, as in the case of pea for pease, .] 1. Comm.: A favorite Spanish white wine, pre pared from small white grapes grown in the province of And alus i a, those which furnish the better qualities being cultivated in the vineyards of Xeres. In the manufacture of sherry the grapes are not gathered until they are quite ripe, and the fermentation is continued until nearly all the sugar has been converted into alcohol. At first it is of a palest raw color, but it darkens with age. Sherries may be divided into natural, containing from 20 to 26 per cent. of proof spirit, and fortified, containing from 30 to 40 per cent.; the reason given for the addition of so much spirit is that the wine will not otherwise stand the voyage. Sherry is not adulterated to any great extent, but many of the cheap sherries are mixtures of low-cla ed sherries with ordinary white wine, the strength being increased by the addition of alcohol. 2. Pharm .: Sherry is used in many of the wines of the pharmacopoeia, as Vinum ferri , . sherry-cobbler, subst. Sherry, sugar, and iced water sucked up through a straw. sher-ry-văl-liēs, s . pl . [A corrupt. of French chevalier a horseman.] Pantaloons of thick cloth or leather worn buttoned round each leg over other pantaloons when riding. *sherte, s. [SHIRT.] *shete, v. t. [SHOOT, v.] shěth, subst . [Perhaps connected with sheath (g. v.).] Agric.: That portion of a plow, sometimes called the post or standard, which is attached at its upper end to the beam and at points below affords places of attachment for the share, mold-board, and landside in ordinary plows. In shovel-plows it fills a similar function as the part to which the share or shovel is secured. IMG:content-1341.png:[blocks in formation] Zool .: A very small variety of the Horse (q. v.), with flowing manes and tails, peculiar to Shetland. They are very strong, and capable of enduring great fatigue, but do not average more than eight hands in height. Shět-land-er, s. [Eng. Shetland ; -er.] A native or inhabitant of Shetland. ( Chambers ' Cyclop ., viii. 678.) IMG:content-1342.png:[blocks in formation] II. Technically: 1. Botany: (1) ( Pl .): The reproductive bodies of lichens; apothecia. (2) A broad table-like proce in the flowers of Stapelia, . 2. Her .: The escutcheon or field on which are placed the bearings in coats of arms. Shields, except in the case of single ladies and widows, by whom the lozenge shape only is used, are of various forms. 3. Husbandry : A fender-plate attached to the share of a corn-plow to keep clods from rolling onto the young plant. 4. Mining, & c .: A framework for protecting a miner in working an adit; it is pushed forward as the work progre es.