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chief Definition

chief (c̸hēf)

noun

  1. the head or leader of a group, organization, etc.; person of highest title or authority
  2. Archaic the most valuable or main part of anything
  3. Heraldry the upper third of a shield
  4. Naut. a chief engineer or chief petty officer

Etymology: ME chef, chief, leader < OFr < VL *capum < L caput, head

adjective

  1. highest, as in rank or office; foremost the chief magistrate
  2. most important or significant; main; principal the chief advantages

adverb

Archaic chiefly

chief Related Forms

chief′·dom noun

chief Idioms

in chief

  1. in the chief position; of highest title or authority editor in chief
  2. Archaic chiefly

chief Synonyms

chief

modif.

leading, main, foremost; see principal. See syn. study at principal.

chief Synonyms

chief

n.

  1. The outstanding person or thing

    leader, head, principal, manager, boss, overseer, governor, president, foreman, proprietor, supervisor, superior, director, chair, chairman, ringleader, general, master, dictator, superintendent, ruler, captain, commander, big shot*, brass hat*, higher-up*, bigwig*, big wheel*, big cheese*; high muck-a-muck*, head honcho*, número uno* (Spanish), prima donna*, triton among minnows*, the only pebble on the beach*, the biggest frog in the puddle*; see also administrator, leader 2.

    Antonyms subordinate, underling, retainer.

  2. A chieftain

    ruler, prince, master, sachem, sagamore, emperor, duke, majesty, monarch, overlord, suzerain, lord, potentate, sovereign, chieftain, headman, elder, Maharaja, sahib, Rajah, boyar, effendi, emir, sheik, pasha; see also king 1, ruler 1.

chief Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • clan: This is said to have been given to the 4th chief of the clan in the 14th century by a fairy.
  • staff: I have only seen it in the paper that the prisoner was Chief of the Staff of the Citizen Army.
  • police: They deserve more time than the headteacher, the managing director of the chief of police.

Adjective modifier

  • former: The former labor chief scored 101 votes ahead of two others for the ticket.
  • Indian: A Red Indian chief, with full Feather headdress, walks out of His wigwam, and fires an Arrow at the moon.
  • un: The UN chief 's remarks signaled support for Washington, which has been trying to stall the inspectors ' mission.
  • native: Indirect rule in the North confirmed the power of native chiefs, who naturally found that their interests were identical to the British.

Modifies a noun

  • executive: Ian Mullen, BBA chief executive, took over in May 2001.
  • constable: The police authority should liaise with the chief constable about the frequency with which visits should be carried out.
  • officer: Most car parks approved by chief police officers for security.
  • inspector: Why was Hans Blix, the UN's chief weapons inspector, not given more time?
  • economist: These factors will continue to support the market over the remainder of 2006 ' , said Halifax chief economist Martin Ellis.
  • priest: And has he not come here for the purpose of bring them bound before the chief priests?

Used with adjective complement

appoint: Percy SMITH was appointed Chief of Police by the Executive.

Noun used with modifier

  • clan: Meet your clan chief, trace your roots, stay in a castle, tour the distilleries.
  • police: Three top police chiefs sang from different hymn sheets on Tuesday.
  • crew: Crew chief for on three of on the bike.
  • ambulance: Attacks on paramedics soaring Attacks on paramedics in Staffordshire have risen fourfold in the past three years according to ambulance chiefs.
  • intelligence: The new Saudi intelligence chief, Prince Nawaf, is also a man who understands the world of the tribes.
  • council: TAXI drivers say their livelihoods have been put at risk because council chiefs are handing out too many new licenses.