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Chief \chief\, adj.
- Highest in office or rank; principal; head.
"Chief rulers." --John. xii. 42
- 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
- Very intimate, near, or close. [Obs.]
"A whisperer separateth chief friends." --Prov. xvi
28
[syn: principal; head; leading; main; paramount; supreme; prime;
vital; especial; great; grand; eminent; master]
Chief \chief\ (ch[=e]n), n. [OE. chief, chef, OF.
chief, F chef, fr. L. caput head, possibly
akin to E. head. Cf captain, chapter]
- 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
- The principal part; the most valuable portion
"The chief of the things which should be utterly
destroyed." --1 Sam. xv 21
- (Her.) The upper third part of the field. It is supposed to be
composed of the dexter, sinister, and middle chiefs (a) At the
head; as, a commander in chief (b) (Eng. Law) From the king, or
sovereign; as, tenure in chief, tenure directly from the king [syn:
chieftain; captain; general; commander; leader; head; principal;
sachem; sagamore; sheik]
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