\Clerk\ (?; in Eng. ?; 277), n. [Either OF. clerc, fr. L.
clericus a priest, or AS. clerc, cleric, clerk, priest, fr.
L. clericus, fr. Gr. ? belonging to the clergy, fr. ? lot,
allotment, clergy; cf. Deut. xviii. 2. Cf. {Clergy}.]
1. A clergyman or ecclesiastic. [Obs.]
         All persons were styled clerks that served in the
         church of Christ.                     --Ayliffe.
2. A man who could read; a scholar; a learned person; a man
   of letters. [Obs.] ``Every one that could read . . . being
   accounted a clerk.'' --Blackstone.
         He was no great clerk, but he was perfectly well
         versed in the interests of Europe.    --Burke.
3. A parish officer, being a layman who leads in reading the
   responses of the Episcopal church service, and otherwise
   assists in it. [Eng.] --Hook.
         And like unlettered clerk still cry ``Amen''.
                                               --Shak.
4. One employed to keep records or accounts; a scribe; an
   accountant; as, the clerk of a court; a town clerk.
         The clerk of the crown . . . withdrew the bill.
                                               --Strype.
Note: In some cases, clerk is synonymous with secretary. A
      clerk is always an officer subordinate to a higher
      officer, board, corporation, or person; whereas a
      secretary may be either a subordinate or the head of an
      office or department.
5. An assistant in a shop or store. [U. S.]