shire

Everyday

1. (UK) A shire is an old word for a county, a large area of a country; many English counties end in «-shire», such as Yorkshire and Lancashire. tree →
2. (Australia) A shire is a country local council area with its own council. tree →
3. The Shire is the peaceful home of the hobbits in Tolkien's books. tree →
4. A Shire horse is a very large, strong farm horse from England. tree →

In the lessons

In geography lessons it explains county names (Yorkshire, Hampshire); «the shires» means the countryside of England. In Australia, kids see «Shire of …» on signs. Phrases: «the shires», «Shire horse», «shire council».

Examples

• Yorkshire and Lancashire are counties ending in -shire. tree →
• In Australia, the local shire council collects the rubbish. tree →
• Shire horses once pulled ploughs on farms. tree →
• Frodo and Bilbo lived in the Shire. tree →
• A Shire horse can weigh as much as a small car. tree →
• The road sign said «Welcome to the Shire of Broome». tree →

Note

In county names «-shire» is usually said «-sher», like «YORK-sher», not «-shy-er». On its own «shire» rhymes with «fire». Capital letter for names: the Shire, Shire horse.