Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Clerk
Clerk
(klẽrk; in Eng. klärk; 277)
, Noun.
[Either OF.
clerc
, fr. L. clericus
a priest, or AS. clerc
, cleric
, clerk, priest, fr. L. clericus
, fr. Gr. κληρικόσ
belonging to the clergy, fr. κλῆροσ
lot, allotment, clergy; cf. Deut. xviii. 2. Cf. Clergy
.] 1.
A clergyman or ecclesiastic.
[Obs.]
All persons were styled
clerks
that served in the church of Christ. Ayliffe.
2.
A man who could read; a scholar; a learned person; a man of letters.
[Obs.]
“Every one that could read . . . being accounted a clerk.” Blackstone.
He was no great
clerk
, but he was perfectly well versed in the interests of Europe. Burke.
3.
A parish officer, being a layman who leads in reading the responses of the Episcopal church service, and otherwise assists in it.
[Eng.]
Hook.
And like unlettered
clerk
still cry “Amen”. Shakespeare
4.
One employed to keep records or accounts; a scribe; an accountant;
as, the
. clerk
of a court; a town clerk
The
clerk
of the crown . . . withdrew the bill. Strype.
☞ In some cases, clerk is synonymous with secretary. A clerk is always an officer subordinate to a higher officer, board, corporation, or person; whereas a secretary may be either a subordinate or the head of an office or department.
5.
An assistant in a shop or store.
[U. S.]
Webster 1828 Edition
Clerk
CLERK
, n.1.
A clergyman, or ecclesiastic; a man in holy orders.2.
A man that can read.Everyone that could read--being accounted a clerk.
3.
A man of letters; a scholar.The foregoing significations are found in the English laws, and histories of the church; as in the rude ages of the church, learning was chiefly confined to the clergy. In modern usage.
4.
A writer; one who is employed in the use of the pen, in an office public or private, for keeping records, and accounts; as the clerk of a court. In some cases clerk is synonymous with secretary; but not always. A clerk is always an officer subordinate to a higher officer, board, corporation or person; whereas, a secretary may be either a subordinate officer, or the head of an office or department.5.
A layman who is the reader of responses in church service.