HA'YWARD, noun [hay and ward, hedgeward.] A person who keeps the common herd or cattle of a town, and guards hedges or fences. In New England, the hayward is a town officer whose duty it to impound cattle, and particularly swine which are found running at large in the highways, contrary to law.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI