v. t. [ From Sherard Cowper-Coles, the inventor. ] (Metal.) To subject to the process of vapor galvanizing (which see, below). [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ Ar. sherbet, shorbet, sharbat, properly, one drink or sip, a draught, beverage, from shariba to drink. Cf. Sorbet, Sirup, Shrub a drink. ] 1. A refreshing drink, common in the East, made of the juice of some fruit, diluted, sweetened, and flavored in various ways; as, orange sherbet; lemon sherbet; raspberry sherbet, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A flavored water ice. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A preparation of bicarbonate of soda, tartaric acid, sugar, etc., variously flavored, for making an effervescing drink; -- called also sherbet powder. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A fragment; -- now used only in composition, as in potsherd. See Shard. [ 1913 Webster ]

The thigh . . . which all in sherds it drove. Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ Turk. sherī 'at ] The sacred law of the Turkish empire. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ ‖‖ } n. [ Ar. sherīf noble, holy, n., a prince. ] A member of an Arab princely family descended from Mohammed through his son-in-law Ali and daughter Fatima. The Grand Shereef is the governor of Mecca. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. shereve, AS. scīr-ger&unr_;fa; scīr a shire + ger&unr_;fa a reeve. See Shire, and Reeve, and cf. Shrievalty. ] The chief officer of a shire or county, to whom is intrusted the execution of the laws, the serving of judicial writs and processes, and the preservation of the peace. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In England, sheriffs are appointed by the king. In the United States, sheriffs are elected by the legislature or by the citizens, or appointed and commissioned by the executive of the State. The office of sheriff in England is judicial and ministerial. In the United States, it is mainly ministerial. The sheriff, by himself or his deputies, executes civil and criminal process throughout the county, has charge of the jail and prisoners, attends courts, and keeps the peace. His judicial authority is generally confined to ascertaining damages on writs of inquiry and the like. Sheriff, in Scotland, called sheriff depute, is properly a judge, having also certain ministerial powers. Sheriff clerk is the clerk of the Sheriff's Court in Scotland. Sheriff's Court in London is a tribunal having cognizance of certain personal actions in that city. Wharton, Tomlins. Erskine. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ n. } The office or jurisdiction of sheriff. See Shrievalty. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Shearn. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Sherry. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ So called from Xeres, a Spanish town near Cadiz, x in Spanish having been formerly pronounced like sh in English. ] A Spanish light-colored dry wine, made in Andalusia. As prepared for commerce it is colored a straw color or a deep amber by mixing with it cheap wine boiled down. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sherry cobbler, a beverage prepared with sherry wine, water, lemon or orange, sugar, ice, etc., and usually imbided through a straw or a glass tube. [ 1913 Webster ]