\Bea"dle\, n. [OE. bedel, bidel, budel, OF. bedel, F.
bedeau, fr. OHG. butil, putil, G. b["u]ttel, fr. OHG. biotan,
G. bieten, to bid, confused with AS. bydel, the same word as
OHG. butil. See. {Bid}, v.]
1. A messenger or crier of a court; a servitor; one who cites
   or bids persons to appear and answer; -- called also an
   {apparitor} or {summoner}.
2. 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.
3. 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.