chief
a person who is in charge
How often you will meet it
Rank 791 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 23,171 times across 155,370 chapters — 0.011% of every word in the library.
It belongs to the first 1,000 words, the band worth learning before any other.
What it means
noun
- a person who is in charge also: head, top dog the head of the whole operation
- a person who exercises control over workers also: foreman, gaffer, honcho, boss if you want to leave early you have to ask the foreman
- the head of a tribe or clan also: headman, tribal chief, chieftain
adjective
- most important element also: main, primary, principal, master the chief aim of livingthe main doors were of solid glass
chief in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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And his chief beside, Smiling the boy fell dead.
Poems Every Child Should Know · Mary E. (Mary Elizabeth) [Editor] Burt · Chapter 1
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The Chief Naval Officer approached His Majesty, cocked-hat in hand.
Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890 · Various · Chapter 1
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All the chief, and most of the minor incidents are facts.
Snowflakes and Sunbeams · R. M. (Robert Michael) Ballantyne · Chapter 1
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In the annotations the chief points of difficulty have been explained.
Narrative and Lyric Poems (first series) · O. J. [Annotator] Stevenson · Chapter 1
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Or chief clerk, like M. Desormeaux; but he would have to begin by being supernumerary.
Other People's Money · Emile Gaboriau · Chapter 1