commissary of subsistence
(gcide) | Commissary \Com"mis*sa*ry\, n.; pl. Commissaries. [LL.
commissarius, fr. L. commissus, p. p. of committere to
commit, intrust to. See Commit.]
1. One to whom is committed some charge, duty, or office, by
a superior power; a commissioner.
[1913 Webster]
Great Destiny, the Commissary of God. --Donne.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Eccl.) An officer of the bishop, who exercises
ecclesiastical jurisdiction in parts of the diocese at a
distance from the residence of the bishop. --Ayliffe.
[1913 Webster]
3. (Mil.)
(a) An officer having charge of a special service; as, the
commissary of musters.
(b) An officer whose business is to provide food for a
body of troops or a military post; -- officially
called commissary of subsistence. [U. S.]
[1913 Webster]
Washington wrote to the President of Congress .
. . urging the appointment of a commissary
general, a quartermaster general, a commissary
of musters, and a commissary of artillery. --W.
Irving
[1913 Webster]
Commissary general, an officer in charge of some special
department of army service; as:
(a) The officer in charge of the commissariat and
transport department, or of the ordnance store
department. [Eng.]
(b) The commissary general of subsistence. [U. S.]
Commissary general of subsistence (Mil. U. S.), the head of
the subsistence department, who has charge of the purchase
and issue of provisions for the army.
[1913 Webster] |