chief
n
1 the head, leader, or most important individual in a group or body of people
2 another word for →
chieftain →
1
3 (Heraldry) the upper third of a shield
4 ♦
in chief primarily; especially
adj
a most important; principal
b highest in rank or authority
adv
6 Archaic principally (C13: from Old French, from Latin caput head)
air chief marshal
n a senior officer of the Royal Air Force and certain other air forces, of equivalent rank to admiral in the Royal Navy, (Abbrev.)
ACM
big Chief , big Daddy
n
Informal other terms for →
big White Chief
big White Chief
n
Informal an important person, boss, or leader, (Also called)
big Chief, big Daddy
Chief Education Officer
n (Brit) an official who is the chief administrative officer of a Local Education Authority, (Also called)
Director of Education
chief executive
n the person with overall responsibility for the efficient running of a company, organization, etc.
chief justice
n
1 (in any of several Commonwealth countries) the judge presiding over a supreme court
2 (in the U.S.) the presiding judge of a court composed of a number of members, (See also)
→
Lord Chief Justice
♦
chief justiceship n
Chief of Staff
n
1 the senior staff officer under the commander of a major military formation or organization
2 the senior officer of each service of the armed forces, (Abbrevs.)
C of S, COS
chief petty officer
n the senior naval rank for personnel without commissioned or warrant rank, (Abbrev.)
CPO
Chief Rabbi
n the chief religious minister of a national Jewish community
chief technician
n a noncommissioned officer in the Royal Air Force junior to a flight sergeant
commander in chief
n pl , commanders in chief
1 the officer holding supreme command of the forces in an area or operation
2 the officer holding command of a major subdivision of one military service
editor in chief
n the controlling editor of a publication
examine-in-chief
vb tr (Law) to examine (one's own witness) in attempting to adduce a case
Compare →
cross-examine
♦
examination-in-chief n
fleet chief petty officer
n a noncommissioned officer in the Royal Navy comparable in rank to a warrant officer in the British Army or Royal Air Force
Lord Chief Justice
n the judge who is second only to the Lord Chancellor in the English legal hierarchy; president of one division of the High Court of Justice
tenant-in-chief
n (in feudal society) a tenant who held some or all of his lands directly from the king