Definition

1. Noun:

   • A salesperson in a store: A person whose job is to serve customers and handle sales in a retail environment.
   • An employee who performs clerical work: A person employed in an office to keep records, handle accounts, file documents, and perform general administrative tasks.
   • (Historical/Formal) A member of the clergy: A religious official, such as a cleric or minister.

2. Verb:

   • To work as a clerk: To be employed in a clerical position, often involving record-keeping, administrative support, or sales duties.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • The clerk at the grocery store helped me find the right aisle. (The salesperson in the store assisted me.)
  • She works as a clerk in a law firm, managing case files and correspondence. (She performs administrative office work.)
  • In the 18th century, he was a parish clerk. (He held a religious office.)

• Verb:

  • He clerked for a judge after graduating from law school. (He worked in a clerical/administrative role for a judge.)
  • She is clerking at the department store during the holiday season. (She is working as a sales assistant.)

Advanced Usage

• "To clerk for someone": Specifically, to work as an assistant, often in a legal or judicial context.
  • Many aspiring lawyers hope to clerk for a Supreme Court Justice.

Variants and Related Words

• Clerical (adj): Relating to the work of a clerk or office administration.

  • His duties are mostly clerical, such as typing and filing.

• Chief Clerk (n): A head clerk or senior administrative officer.

• Court Clerk (n): An officer of the court who maintains records and handles administrative matters.

Synonyms

• Noun: Sales assistant, salesperson, office worker, administrator, secretary, registrar.
• Verb: To work administratively, to assist.

Related Phrases

• Clerk of the Court: An official who records the proceedings of a court and maintains its records.
• Clerk of the Works: A person who supervises construction work on site.

Noun

1. a salesperson in a store
2. an employee who performs clerical work (e.g., keeps records or accounts)

Verb

1. work as a clerk, as in the legal business