*riff*

n. [ Cf. Gripe. ] 1. Grasp; reach. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

A vein of gold ore within one spade's griff. Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. [ Cf. F. griffe, G. griff, prop., a grasping. ] (Weaving) An arrangement of parallel bars for lifting the hooked wires which raise the warp threads in a loom for weaving figured goods. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A person of mixed blood. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ F. ] 1. The offspring of a mulatto woman and a negro; also, a mulatto. [ Local, U. S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A person of mixed negro and American Indian blood. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. An Anglo-Indian name for a person just arrived from Europe. H. Kingsley.

{ } n. [ OE. griffin, griffon, griffoun, F. griffon, fr. L. gryphus, equiv to gryps, Gr. &unr_;; -- so called because of the hooked beak, and akin to grypo`s curved, hook-nosed. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Myth.) A fabulous monster, half lion and half eagle. It is often represented in Grecian and Roman works of art. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Her.) A representation of this creature as an heraldic charge. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Zool.) A species of large vulture (Gyps fulvus) found in the mountainous parts of Southern Europe, North Africa, and Asia Minor; -- called also gripe, and grype. It is supposed to be the “eagle” of the Bible. The bearded griffin is the lammergeir. [ Written also gryphon. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

4. An English early apple. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. ] One of a European breed of rough-coated dogs, somewhat taller than the setter and of a grizzly liver color. They are used in hunting game birds. The Brussels griffon is a very small, wiry-coated, short-nosed pet dog of Belgian origin. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ F. hippogriffe; cf. It. ippogrifo. See Hippopotamus, Griffon. ] (Myth.) A fabulous winged animal, half horse and half griffin. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Hyppogriff. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. midhrif; midd mid, middle + hrif bowels, womb; akin to OFries. midref midriff, rif, ref, belly, OHG. href body, and to L. corpus body. See Corpse. ] (Anat.) 1. See Diaphragm, n., 2. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The middle part of the front of the body, from the waist to the chest. [ PJC ]

Smote him into the midriff with a stone. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That part of a garment, especially a dress or bodice, that covers the midriff{ 2 }. [ PJC ]

n. [ CF. G. riffeln, riefeln, to groove. Cf. Rifle a gun. ] 1. (Mining) A trough or sluice having cleats, grooves, or steps across the bottom for holding quicksilver and catching particles of gold when auriferous earth is washed; also, one of the cleats, grooves, or steps in such a trough. Also called ripple. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A ripple in a stream or current of water; also, a place where the water ripples, as on a shallow rapid. [ Local, U. S. ]

The bass have left the cool depth beside the rock and are on the riffle or just below it. James A. Henshall. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ See Riffle. ] A curved file used in carving wool and marble. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. rif and raf every particle, OF. rif et raf. CF. Raff, and 1st Rifle. ] Sweepings; refuse; the lowest order of society. Beau. & Fl. [ 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. [ F. tarif; cf. Sp. & Pg. tarifa, It. tariffa; all fr. Ar. ta'rīf information, explanation, definition, from 'arafa, to know, to inform, explain. ] 1. A schedule, system, or scheme of duties imposed by the government of a country upon goods imported or exported; as, a revenue tariff; a protective tariff; Clay's compromise tariff. (U. S. 1833). [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The United States and Great Britain impose no duties on exports; hence, in these countries the tariff refers only to imports. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ A tariff may be imposed solely for, and with reference to, the production of revenue (called a
revenue tariff, or
tariff for revenue, or for the artificial fostering of home industries (
a projective tariff), or as a means of coercing foreign governments, as in case of
retaliatory tariff. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. The duty, or rate of duty, so imposed; as, the tariff on wool; a tariff of two cents a pound. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Any schedule or system of rates, changes, etc.; as, a tariff of fees, or of railroad fares. Bolingbroke. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Tariffed p. pr. & vb. n. Tariffing. ] To make a list of duties on, as goods. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A white wine resembling Madeira in taste, but more tart, produced in Teneriffe, one of the Canary Islands; -- called also Vidonia. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A sheriff's deputy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Undershrievalty. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ 1st pref. un- + sheriff. ] To depose from the office of sheriff. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]