a. [ AS. heáfodleás. ] 1. Having no head; beheaded; as, a headless body, neck, or carcass. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Destitute of a chief or leader. Sir W. Raleigh. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Destitute of understanding or prudence; foolish; rash; obstinate; mindless. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Witless headiness in judging or headless hardiness in condemning. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. bedel, bidel, budel, OF. bedel, F. bedeau, fr. OHG. butil, putil, G. büttel, fr. OHG. biotan, G. bieten, to bid, confused with AS. bydel, the same word as OHG. butil. See. Bid, v. ] 1. A messenger or crier of a court; a servitor; one who cites or bids persons to appear and answer; -- called also an apparitor or summoner. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An officer in a university, who precedes public processions of officers and students. [ Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ In this sense the archaic spellings bedel (Oxford) and bedell (Cambridge) are preserved. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. An inferior parish officer in England having a variety of duties, as the preservation of order in church service, the chastisement of petty offenders, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Office or jurisdiction of a beadle. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being, or the personality of, a beadle. A. Wood. [ 1913 Webster ]