(in medieval England) a sheriff's officer who arrested debtors
Word origin
Old English cæcepol, from Medieval Latin cacepollus tax-gatherer, literally: chicken-chaser, from cace-catch + pollus (from Latin pullus chick)
catchpole in American English
(ˈkætʃˌpoʊl) or ˈcatchˌpoll (ˈkætʃˌpoʊl)
noun
Obsolete, British
a sheriff's officer who arrested nonpaying debtors
Word origin
ME cacchepol & Late OE cæcepol, tax gatherer < Anglo-Fr cache-pol, lit., chicken chaser < ML cacepollus < *cacere (< VL *captiare: see catch) + L pullus, fowl: see poultry