used as a shorthand to refer to prosperous rural areas of England
I was at a shire wedding at the weekend.
Submitted from: United Kingdom on 30/05/2017
Adjective☞shire
shire
noun
UK /ˈʃaɪə(r)/
Other entries for this word
shireadjective
shire horsenoun
Word Forms
singular
shire
plural
shires
DEFINITIONS1
1
countable a county in the UK. This word is used in the names of some UK counties.
Hampshire
Synonyms and related words
Areas of specific countries
ACT
AONB
Bantustan
1a
the shires
plural used to refer to areas of the UK with a lot of farms and countryside, whose inhabitants are generally thought to be socially and politically conservative
I’m back in the shires after a weekend in London.
They are takingvotesaway from the Conservatives in the shires.
Synonyms and related words
Areas and places outside of towns and cities
the back of beyond
backwater
backwoods
shire
noun countable
US /ʃaɪr/
Other entries for this word
shireadjective
shire horsenoun
Word Forms
singular
shire
plural
shires
DEFINITIONS1
1
a county in the U.K. This word is used in the names of some U.K. counties.
Hampshire
Synonyms and related words
Areas of specific countries
ACT
Bantustan
the Bible Belt
1a
the shires
plural used to refer to areas of the U.K. with a lot of farms and countryside, whose inhabitants are generally thought to be socially and politically conservative
I’m back in the shires after a weekend in London.
They are takingvotesaway from the Conservatives in the shires.