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Webster 1913 Edition


Chief

Chief

(chēn)
,
Noun.
[OE.
chief
,
chef
, OF. chief, F.
chef
, fr. L.
caput
head, possibly akin to E.
head
. Cf.
Captain
,
Chapter
]
1.
The head or leader of any body of men; a commander, as of an army; a head man, as of a tribe, clan, or family; a person in authority who directs the work of others; the principal actor or agent.
2.
The principal part; the most valuable portion.
The
chief
of the things which should be utterly destroyed.
1 Sam. xv. 21
3.
(Her.)
The upper third part of the field. It is supposed to be composed of the dexter, sinister, and middle chiefs.
Syn. – Chieftain; captain; general; commander; leader; head; principal; sachem; sagamore; sheik.
Chief
,
chieftain
,
Commander
,
Leader
. These words fluctuate somewhat in their meaning according to circumstances, but agree in the general idea of rule and authority. The term chief is now more usually applied to one who is a head man, leader, or commander in civil or military affairs, or holds a hereditary or acquired rank in a tribe or clan; as, the chief of police; the chief of an Indian tribe. A chieftain is the chief of a clan or tribe , or a military leader. A commander directs the movements of or has control over a body of men, as a military or naval force. A leader is one whom men follow, as in a political party, a legislative body, a military or scientific expedition, etc., one who takes the command and gives direction in particular enterprises.

Chief

,
Adj.
1.
Highest in office or rank; principal; head.
Chief rulers.”
John. xii. 42.
2.
Principal or most eminent in any quality or action; most distinguished; having most influence; taking the lead; most important;
as, the
chief
topic of conversation; the
chief
interest of man
.
3.
Very intimate, near, or close.
[Obs.]
Syn. – Principal; head; leading; main; paramount; supreme; prime; vital; especial; great; grand; eminent; master.

Webster 1828 Edition


Chief

CHIEF

, a.
1.
Highest in office or rank; principal; as a chief priest; the chief butler. Gen 40:9.
Among the chief rulers, many believed on him. John 12.
2.
Principal or most eminent, in any quality or action; most distinguished; having most influence; commanding most respect; taking the lead; most valuable; most important; a word of extensive use; as a country chief in arms.
The hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this trespass. Ezra 9.
Agriculture is the chief employment of men.
3.
First in affection; most dear and familiar.
A whisperer separateth chief friends. Prov. 16.

CHIEF

, n.
1.
A commander; particularly a military commander; the person who heads an army; equivalent to the modern terms, commander or general in chief, captain general, or generalissimo. 1 Ch. 11.
2.
The principal person of a tribe, family, or congregation, &c.
Num. 3. Job 29. Math. 20.
3.
In chief, in English law, in capite. To hold land in chief is to hold it directly from the king by honorable personal services.
4.
In heraldry, chief signifies the head or upper part of the escutcheon, from side to side, representing a mans head. In chief, imports something borne in this part.
5.
In Spenser, it seems to signify something like achievement, a mark of distinction; as, chaplets wrought with a chief.
6.
This word is often used, in the singular number, to express a plurality.
I took the chief of your tribes, wise men and known, and made them heads over you. Deut. 1:15.
These were the chief of the officers, that were over Solomons work. 1 Kings 9.
In these phrases, chief may have been primarily an adjective, that is, chief men, chief persons.
7.
The principal part; the most or largest part, of one thing or of many.
The people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed. 1 Sam. 15.
He smote the chief of their strength. Ps. 68.
The chief of the debt remains unpaid.

CHIEF

,
adv.
Chiefly.

Definition 2024


chief

chief

English

Noun

chief (plural chiefs)

  1. A leader or head of a group of people, organisation, etc. [from 13th c.]
    • 1994, Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom, Abacus 2010, p. 4:
      My father, Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa, was a chief by both blood and custom.
    All firefighters report to the fire chief.
  2. (heraldry) The top part of a shield or escutcheon. [from 15th c.]
    • 1889, Charles Norton Elvin, A Dictionary of Heraldry:
      When the Chief is Charged with any figure, in blazon it is said to be "On a Chief".
  3. An informal address to an equal.
    Hey, chief.

Synonyms

  • See also Wikisaurus:boss

Derived terms

Look at pages starting with chief.

Related terms

Translations

Adjective

chief (not comparable)

  1. Primary; principal.
    Negligence was the chief cause of the disaster.

Translations

See also

Verb

chief (third-person singular simple present chiefs, present participle chiefing, simple past and past participle chiefed)

  1. (US, slang) to smoke cannabis

Statistics

Most common English words before 1923: gentleman · persons · wrote · #610: chief · company · sweet · duty

Anagrams


Middle French

Etymology

From Old French chief.

Noun

chief m (plural chiefs)

  1. head

Descendants


Old French

Alternative forms

Etymology

First known attestation 881 in The Sequence of Saint Eulalia. From Vulgar Latin *capum, from Latin caput.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /tʃief/

Noun

chief m (oblique plural chiés, nominative singular chiés, nominative plural chief)

  1. (anatomy) head
  2. leader, chief
  3. front (foremost side of something)

Descendants