deacon

noun

1. A designated minister of charity in the early Church (see Acts 6:1-6).
2. (broadly)A modern-day member of a church who handles secular and/or administrative duties in a priest's stead, the specifics of which depends on denomination.
3. A clergyman ranked directly below a priest, with duties of helping the priests and carrying out parish work.
4. An ordained clergyperson usually serving a year prior to being ordained presbyter, though in some cases they remain a permanent deacon.
5. A lay leader of a congregation who assists the pastor.
6. A separate office from that of minister, neither leading to the other; instead there is a permanent deaconate.
7. A junior lodge officer.
8. (Mormonism)The lowest office in the Aaronic priesthood, generally held by 12 or 13 year old boys or recent converts.
9. (US)A male calf of a dairy breed, so called because they are usually deaconed (see below).
10. (Scotland)The chairman of an incorporated company.

verb

1. (transitive)To ordain to the diaconate.

   “He was deaconed on the 23rd May, and priested on the 29th September, 1624, by John, Bishop of Sodar and Man.”

   “Chapman was a lay missionary and was not deaconed until 1844 and priested in 1852.”

   “Thus, Samuel Seabury... was deaconed by the Bishop of Lincoln and priested by the Bishop of Carlisle.”

2. For a choir leader to lead a hymn by speaking one or two lines at a time, which are then sung by the choir.
3. (US)To kill a calf shortly after birth.
4. (US, slang)To place fresh fruit at the top of a barrel or other container, with spoiled or imperfect fruit hidden beneath.

   “The blanc mange was lumpy, and the strawberries not as ripe as they looked, having been skilfully 'deaconed'.”

   “It's like buying a barrel of apples that's been deaconed — after you've found that the deeper you go the meaner and wormier the fruit, you forget all about the layer of big, rosy, wax-finished pippins that was on top.”

5. (US, slang)To make sly alterations to the boundaries of (land); to adulterate or doctor (an article to be sold), etc.

name

1. A surname originating as an occupation.
2. (rare)A male given name from English.

   “And like a mirror image in gestures if not in looks, Steward spit fresh Blue Boy while Deek lit a cigar. However disgusted both were, K.D. knew they would not negotiate a solution that would endanger him or the future of Morgan money. His grandfather had named his twins Deacon and Steward for a reason.”