What does "beadle" mean?

Beadle: An officer in a university, who precedes public processions of officers and students. [Eng.] Note: In this sense the archaic spellings bedel (Oxford) and bedell (Cambridge) are preserved.

Additional senses

  1. 2.An inferior parish officer in England having a variety of duties, as the preservation of order in church service, the chastisement of petty offenders, etc.

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