deacon

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A cleric ranking just below a priest in the Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and Roman Catholic churches.
2. n. A Protestant layperson who assists the minister in various functions.
3. n. Used as a title prefixed to the surname of such a person: Deacon Brown.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. Eccles., one of a body of men, either forming an order of the ministry or serving merely as elected officers of individual churches, whose chief duty is to assist a presbyter, priest, or other clergyman, especially in administering the eucharist and in the care of the poor. In the apostolic church, one of an order of ministers or church-officers, inferior to apostles and presbyters, whose duty it was to serve at the Lord's Supper, or agape, and to minister alms to the poor. It is generally believed that the institution of this office is recorded in Acts vi. 1-6, where, although the word deacon (διάκονος, minister) is not used of the seven persons appointed, the corresponding words “to minister or serve” (διακονει%148ν) and “ministration” (διακονία) are employed. By an analogy with the Mosaic hierarchy, St. Clement of Rome in the apostolic age called the deacons Levites, and this use of the word Levite long remained frequent.
2. n. In Scotland, the president of an incorporated trade, who is the chairman of its meetings and signs its records. Before the passing of the Burgh Reform Act the deacons of the crafts or incorporated trades in royal burghs formed a constituent part of the town council, and were understood to represent the trades, as distinguished from the merchants and guild brethren. The deacon-convener of the trades in Edinburgh and Glasgow still continues to be a constituent member of the town council.
3. n. [Allusion not clear.] A green salted hide or skin weighing less than 8 pounds.
4. To make or ordain deacon.
5. To read out, as a line of a psalm or hymn, before singing it: sometimes with off: from an ancient custom of reading the hymn one or two lines at a time, the congregation singing the lines as read. This office was frequently performed by a deacon. The custom is nearly as old as the Reformation, and was made necessary by the lack of hymn-books when congregational singing was introduced. See line, v. t.
6. To arrange so as to present a specious and attractive appearance; present the best and largest specimens (of fruit or vegetables) to view and conceal the defective ones: as, to deacon strawberries or apples.
7. To sophisticate; adulterate; “doctor”: as, to deacon wine or other liquor.
8. n. A hunter's name for the young of the elk or wapiti, Cervus canadensis.

Wiktionary

1. n. Church history A designated minister of charity in the early Church (see Acts 6:1-6).
2. n. Roman Catholicism A clergyman ranked directly below a priest, with duties of helping the priests and carrying out parish work.
3. n. Protestantism - Free Churches: A lay leader of a congregation who assists the pastor.
4. n. Protestantism - Anglicanism: An ordained clergyman usually serving a year prior to being ordained presbyter, though in some cases they remain a permanent deacon.
5. n. Protestantism - Methodism: A separate office from that of minister, neither leading to the other; instead there is a permanent deaconate.
6. n. freemasonry A junior Lodge officer.
7. n. Mormonism The lowest office in the Aaronic priesthood, generally held by 12 or 13 year old boys or recent converts.
8. n. US, animal husbandry A male calf of a dairy breed, so called because they are usually deaconed (see below).
9. v. Christianity, music For a choir leader to lead a hymn by speaking one or two lines at a time, which are then sung by the choir.
10. v. US, animal husbandry To kill a calf shortly after birth.
11. v. US To place fresh fruit at the top of a barrel or other container, with spoiled or imperfect fruit hidden beneath.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. (Eccl.) An officer in Christian churches appointed to perform certain subordinate duties varying in different communions. In the Roman Catholic and Episcopal churches, a person admitted to the lowest order in the ministry, subordinate to the bishops and priests. In Presbyterian churches, he is subordinate to the minister and elders, and has charge of certain duties connected with the communion service and the care of the poor. In Congregational churches, he is subordinate to the pastor, and has duties as in the Presbyterian church.
2. n. Scot. The chairman of an incorporated company.
3. v. Colloq. New. Eng. To read aloud each line of (a psalm or hymn) before singing it, -- usually with off.
4. v. Colloq., U. S. With humorous reference to hypocritical posing: To pack (fruit or vegetables) with the finest specimens on top; to alter slyly the boundaries of (land); to adulterate or doctor (an article to be sold), etc.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a cleric ranking just below a priest in Christian churches; one of the Holy Orders
2. n. a Protestant layman who assists the minister