The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Bailiff \Bail"iff\ (b[=a]l"[i^]f), n. [OF. baillif, F. bailli,
   custodian, magistrate, fr. L. bajulus porter. See Bail to
   deliver.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. Originally, a person put in charge of something;
      especially, a chief officer, magistrate, or keeper, as of
      a county, town, hundred, or castle; one to whom powers of
      custody or care are intrusted. --Abbott.
      [1913 Webster]

            Lausanne is under the canton of Berne, governed by a
            bailiff sent every three years from the senate.
                                                  --Addison.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Eng. Law) A sheriff's deputy, appointed to make arrests,
      collect fines, summon juries, etc.
      [1913 Webster]

   Note: In American law the term bailiff is seldom used except
         sometimes to signify a sheriff's officer or constable,
         or a party liable to account to another for the rent
         and profits of real estate. --Burrill.
         [1913 Webster]

   3. An overseer or under steward of an estate, who directs
      husbandry operations, collects rents, etc. [Eng.]
      [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Burghmaster \Burgh"mas`ter\, n.
   1. A burgomaster.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Mining) An officer who directs and lays out the meres or
      boundaries for the workmen; -- called also bailiff, and
      barmaster. [Eng.]
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

bailiff
    n 1: an officer of the court who is employed to execute writs
         and processes and make arrests etc.

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

65 Moby Thesaurus words for "bailiff":
   G-man, MC, MP, attorney, beadle, beagle, bound bailiff, butler,
   captain, catchpole, chief of police, commissioner, constable,
   croupier, curator, custodian, deputy, deputy sheriff, detective,
   emcee, factor, fed, federal, flic, gendarme, government man,
   guardian, housekeeper, inspector, landreeve, librarian, lictor,
   lieutenant, mace-bearer, majordomo, marshal, master of ceremonies,
   mounted policeman, narc, officer, patrolman, peace officer,
   police captain, police commissioner, police constable,
   police inspector, police matron, police officer, police sergeant,
   policeman, policewoman, portreeve, proctor, procurator, reeve,
   roundsman, seneschal, sergeant, sergeant at arms, sheriff, steward,
   superintendent, tipstaff, tipstaves, trooper



Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

BAILIFF, account render. A bailiff is a person who has, by delivery, the
custody and administration of lands or goods for the benefit of the owner or
bailor, and is liable to render an account thereof. Co. Lit. 271; 2 Leon.
245; 1 Mall . Ent. 65. The word is derived from the old French word bailler,
to bail, that is, to deliver. Originally, the word implied the delivery of
real estate, as of land, woods, a house, a part of the fish in a pond; Owen,
20; 2 Leon. 194; Keilw. 114 a, b; 37 Ed. III. 7; 10 H. VII. 7, 30; but was
afterwards extended to goods and chattels. Every bailiff is a ,receiver, but
every receiver is not a bailiff. Hence it is a good plea that the defendant
never was receiver, but as bailiff. 18 Ed. III. 16. See Cro. Eliz. 82-3; 2
Anders. 62-3, 96-7 F. N. B. 134 F; 8 Co. 48 a, b.
     2. From a bailiff is required administration, care, management, skill.
He is, therefore, entitled to allowance for the expense of administration,
and for all things done in his office, according to his own judgment,
without the special direction of his principal, and also for casual things
done in the common course of business: 1 Mall. Ent. 65, (4) 11; 1 Rolle, Ab.
125, 1, 7; Co. Lit. 89 a; Com. Dig. E 12 Bro. Ab. Acc. 18 Lucas, Rep. 23 but
not for things foreign to his office. Bro. Ab. Acc .26, 88; Plowd. 282b, 14;
Com. Dig. Acc. E13; Co. Lit. 172; 1 Mall. Ent. 65, (4) 4. Whereas, a mere
receiver, or a receiver who is not also a bailiff, is not entitled to
allowance for any expenses. Bro. Ab. Acc. 18; 1 Mall. Ent. 66, (4) 10; 1
Roll. Ab. 118; Com. Dig. E 13; 1 Dall. 340.
     3. A bailiff may appear and plead for his principal in an assize; " and
his plea com- @mences " thus, " J. S., bailiff of T. N., comes " &c., not "
T. N., by his bailiff, J. S., comes," &c. 2 Inst. 415; Keilw. 117 b. As to
what matters he may plead, see 2 Inst. 414.



Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

BAILIFF, office. Magistrates who for @merly administered justice in the
parliaments or courts of France, answering to the English sheriffs as
mentioned by Bracton. There are still bailiffs of particular towns in
England as the bailiff of Dover Castle, &c., otherwise bailiffs are now only
officers or stewards, &c. as Bailiffs of liberties, appointed by every lord
within his liberty, to serve writs, &c. Bailiff errent or itinerant,
appointed to go about the country for the same purpose. Sheriff 's bailies,
sheriff's officers to execute writs; these are also called bound bailiffs
because they are usually bound in a bond to the sheriff for the due
execution of their office. Bailiffs of court baron, to summon the court,
&c. Bailiffs of husbandry, appointed by private persons to collect their
rents and manage their estates. Water bailiffs, officers in port towns for
searching ships, gathering tolls, &c. Bac. Ab. h. t.