Posse Comitatus
Preserved but no longer current.
The whole force of the county — that is, all the male members of a county over fifteen, who may be summoned by a sheriff to assist in preventing a riot, the rescue of prisoners, or other unlawful dis^ orders. Clergymen, peers, and the infirm are exempt.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Posse Comitatus” mean?
The whole force of the county — that is, all the male members of a county over fifteen, who may be summoned by a sheriff to assist in preventing a riot, the rescue of prisoners, or other unlawful dis^ orders. Clergymen, peers, and the infirm are exempt.
Is “Posse Comitatus” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.