boss1 nounboss2 verbboss3 adjective
bossboss1 /bɒs $ bɒːs/ ●●● S2 W3 noun [countable] 
WORD ORIGINboss1
Origin:
1-3 1800-1900 Dutch baas ‘man in charge’4 1300-1400 Old French boce, from Vulgar Latin bottiaEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- As a secretary, my job includes taking my boss's phone calls.
- Can you ask your boss if she'll let you leave early today?
- Does your boss know you're looking for another job?
- I don't make as much money as I used to, but I prefer being my own boss.
- She accuses her former boss of sexually harassing her.
- The front page of the paper announced "Company bosses get record pay increases".
- The managing director is a man but my immediate boss is a woman.
- There's a new guy at work who's always trying to impress the boss.
- But the boss still wants his money.
- But we noticed that people in Washington more or less assumed the personality and the style of their elected bosses.
- He will probably be none other than General Jaruzelski, the party boss.
- If they did this particularly well, analysts were thought well of by their bosses.
- It was a display which earned high praise, not least from Coventry boss Bobby Gould.
- Time and again as boss of Rangers and Liverpool, Souness has smashed the million-pound barrier to sign players.
- We worried about titles and offices and whether or not our bosses really liked us.
THESAURUS
the person who is in charge of you at work. Boss sounds rather informal. The usual word to use in more formal English is manager: · Does your boss know you're looking for another job?
the person in charge of a business such as a shop, a bank, or a hotel, or of a part of a business: · I'd like to speak to the hotel manager.· the sales manager· the manager of an Italian restaurant
the person who is in charge of an organization or a department within that organization: · the head of the CIA· My wife's head of the French department at the university.· He was the former head of the American Cancer Society.
the most important person or one of the most important people in an organization such as the police, the fire department, or the army: · the chief of police· police/army/fire chiefs· Health chiefs have secured cash to build two new hospitals.
especially American English the person who is in charge of a large company or a department within a company: · the president of CBS news· Angry shareholders called for the resignation of the company president.
British English the person who is in charge of the daily management of a company or organization: · He's the managing director of a small printing firm.
(also chief executive officer, CEO) the person who is in charge of the daily management of a company: · the CEO of General Motors· Universal Studios is looking for a new chief executive.
someone who is in charge of a group of workers, whose job is to make sure that the workers do what the manager wants: · He was employed as a warehouse supervisor.
the manager who is directly in charge of you in a company: · If you want to take a holiday, first ask your line manager.
if you report to someone in a company, that person is directly in charge of you: · Jan is based in Birmingham and reports to the Head of Marketing.
Longman Language Activatorto control people or to control what happens to make things happen or make people behave in the way that you want, by using your authority, skill, money etc: · Miss Weston is having difficulty controlling the children in that class.· The area is now controlled by rebels.· The head of department controls the budget.· Oloco is a huge company, controlling over half the world's oil trade.
the ability or power to make things happen or make people behave in the way that you want: have control: · Heads of department can make some decisions, but the chairman has overall control within the company.control over: · They seem to have no control over their children.control of: · Who has control of the budget?
to control a situation, organization, country etc - use this especially about someone who got their power by using force or by clever planning, but not by being elected: · The President has been arrested, and the rebel forces are now in control.be in control of: · Mr Howard questioned whether the police were still in control of the situation.
spoken used to say that someone has the power to make all the decisions and tell other people what to do: · Mrs Earnshaw is in charge, and what she says, goes.
informal to control a situation so that everyone else has to do what you say, agree with you etc: · It's definitely my mother who calls the shots in my family.· It's always been our policy that the customer should call the tune.
British /be in the driver's seat American informal to have more power than anyone else in a particular organization or situation, so that you control everything: · The Conservatives say they are looking forward to the election, and are confident that they will soon be back in the driving seat.be firmly in the driving seat: · This is how the government is now made up, with the Socialists firmly in the driving seat.
if you say someone is the boss within a family or group, you mean they have the most power over the other people in it: · You'd better ask Mom -- she's the boss around here.show somebody who's boss (=show them that you are in control): · He gave the dog a slap round the head, just to show him who was boss.
informal to be the person who has most power in a relationship - use this especially to say that the woman in a relationship controls the man: · I think you should talk to Pat - she's the one who wears the trousers in that household.
if you keep people in check , you control their behaviour, especially so that they cannot behave badly; if you keep a situation, especially a bad one, in check , you stop it developing any further: · The court heard that the general was unable to keep his troops in check.· The disease is held in check by weekly injections of a power drug.
someone who is in charge at work someone who is in charge of a group of workers, and makes sure they do their jobs properly: · You must receive approval from a supervisor before visiting a high-risk area.· Haworth, formerly a supervisor of 120 people at a printing company, left to start his own business.
the person who is in charge of a company, department, or particular activity: head of: · According to Rice, the head of the planning committee, the project is 25% completed.be head of something: · Hwang is head of the local Communist Party, and is also a farmer.
someone who is in charge of a group of factory workers or builders and is responsible for seeing that orders from managers are carried out: · Time taken in unloading should be recorded by the foreman and paid at the agreed rate.
the person who is in charge of you at work: · As a secretary, my job includes taking my boss's phone calls.· She accuses her former boss of sexually harassing her.immediate boss (=the person who is directly in charge of you): · The managing director is a man but my immediate boss is a woman.be your own boss (=to run your own business and organize your own work): · I don't make as much money as I used to, but I prefer being my own boss.
someone whose job is to run part or all of a company or other organization and who is in charge of you at work: · He was a manager for Safeway Stores before leaving to start his own business.· If the sales clerk cannot help you, ask to see the manager.· McBride was a general manager in charge of research and development.line manager (=the person who is directly in charge of your work): · Notify your line manager if you are ill.
formal someone who is in a higher position than you at work: · The report he submitted to his superiors accurately reflected the poor morale of the workers.immediate superior (=the person in the position directly above you): · Your most important working relationship is with your immediate superior.
a manager someone whose job is to be in charge of a group of people, a project, a department, or a bank, shop, hotel etc: · I'd like to speak to the manager.manager of: · the advertising manager of a mail-order companybank/hotel/restaurant etc manager: · All new loans must be approved by the bank manager.marketing/sales/accounts etc manager: · She's one of our regional sales managers.
informal the person who is in charge of you at work: · Does your boss know you're looking for another job?· There's a new guy at work who's always trying to impress the boss.· The front page of the paper announced "Company bosses get record pay increases".
a manager, especially an important one: · We were visited by a young, dynamic executive from a small computer company.executive for: · Clifford, a former congressman, is now an executive for a large charity.executive stress (=an illness suffered by managers who are under a lot of pressure in their jobs): · a psychiatrist who specializes in executive stress
someone who is in charge of a group of factory workers or builders, whose job is to make sure that the workers do what the manager wants: · Anton hated the foreman, who was never satisfied with anyone's work.foreman of: · He spoke as though he were a rich landowner instead of just the foreman of a modest building firm.
someone who is in charge of a group of workers, such as cleaners or secretaries, in an office, factory, airport etc, whose job is to make sure that the workers do what the manager wants: · We still need to replace the office supervisor.supervisor of: · She has worked her way up the company and is now supervisor of 50 staff members.
the manager who is directly in charge of you in a company, rather than a more senior manager: · If you want to take a holiday, first ask your line manager.
if you report to someone in a company, they are your line manager: · Jan is based in Birmingham and reports to the Head of Marketing.
when you have to do whatever someone tells you to do spoken say this when you feel you have to do whatever someone says, even if you disagree: · Personally, I don't like dark-coloured wallpaper, but you're the boss.· If he tells you to do something, you do it, no questions, because he's the boss.
to be so strongly influenced by someone so that they control you completely and you do anything that they want you to do: · The President, senators, and deputies are all under the thumb of the military.have somebody under your thumb: · It was widely known that the mafia had the union under their thumb.
if you are at someone's beck and call , they are always telling you to do things for them, and you always have to be ready to do things for them: · I have never liked to be at anybody's beck and call.· She was always rushing around at her mother's beck and call.
to work independently and not for someone else someone who is self-employed does not have a job with one particular employer, but instead works independently and does work for many different people: · Martin is a self-employed builder.· Most fashion models are self-employed, and find work through agencies.the self-employed (=people who are self-employed): · The government gives generous tax allowances to the self-employed.
to own and manage a business, especially a small one such as a shop or restaurant: · She runs her own business, making and selling hand-knitted clothes.· It's always been Maria's ambition to have her own business.set up your own business (=begin running your own business): · People wanting to set up their own business should take expert financial advice.
working for several different organizations instead of being employed by only one - use this especially about people such as writers, designers, and photographers: freelance designer/journalist/photographer: · Jamie's trying to earn a living as a freelance photographer.freelance work/writing/photography etc: · Karen stayed at home while the children were small, and made a little money from freelance writing.
informal to work independently and not be employed by other people, and therefore be able to decide by yourself what you should do: · I'm not good at taking orders from anybody -- I prefer being my own boss.· Jim sacrificed a television career to set up in business and be his own boss.
WORD SETSadmin, nounadministration, nounadministrative, adjectiveadministrator, nounagency, nounagent, nounbalance sheet, nounbazaar, nounbid, nounbid, verbbig business, nounbook value, nounboss, nounbottom line, nounbranch, nouncapacity, nouncapital, nouncapital assets, nouncapital gains, nouncapital goods, nouncapital-intensive, adjectivecapitalist, nouncard, nouncentralize, verbcompetitiveness, nounconsultancy, nouncontract, nouncontract, verbcost-effective, adjectivecoupon, nouncritical path, noundecentralize, verbdeveloper, noundistiller, noundistributor, noundiversify, verbdownsize, verbeconomics, nounenterprise, nounentrepreneur, nounestablishment, nounfashion, nounfly-by-night, adjectivefold, verbfoodstuff, nounform letter, nounfranchise, verbfranchisee, noungazump, verbgearing, noungeneric, adjectiveget, verbhard sell, nounhaute couture, nounhigh season, nounhigh technology, nounhike, nounhike, verbloss, nounlow-tech, adjectivemaximize, verbMD, nounmerchandise, verbmerchandising, nounmerger, nounmiddleman, nounmiller, nounmission statement, nounmom-and-pop, adjectivemoneygrabbing, adjectivemoneymaker, noun-monger, suffixmonopolistic, adjectivemonopoly, nounnet, adjectivenet, verbniche, nounoff-the-peg, adjectiveopening time, nounoperation, nounoperational, adjectiveoperator, nounoption, nounoutlay, nounoutlet, nounoutput, nounoutwork, nounoverhead, nounoverstock, verbpackage, nounpartner, nounpartnership, nounpatent, nounpayola, nounpercentage, nounpiracy, nounpremium, nounprivate practice, nounprivatization, nounprivatize, verbprofitability, nounproprietor, nounproprietress, nounpurchase price, nounpurchasing power, nounquiet, adjectiveR & D, nounrate of return, nounrecall, verbreject, nounrep, nounresearch and development, nounrestrictive practices, nounrevenue, nounsell, verbservice industry, nounsleeping partner, nounspeculate, verbspeculation, nounspeculative, adjectivestreet value, nounsubtotal, nounswap meet, nounsweatshop, nounsyndicate, nounsystems analyst, nountake, nountender, nountie-up, nounTM, transact, verbtransaction, nounturnover, nounundersell, verbuneconomic, adjectiveunit, noununprofitable, adjectivevideo conferencing, nounwatchdog, nounwheeler-dealer, nounwheeling and dealing, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY
Since I’m my own boss (=I work for myself, rather than for an employer), my hours are flexible. You’ve got to show the kids who’s boss.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
Since I’m my own boss (=I work for myself, rather than for an employer), my hours are flexible. You’ve got to show the kids who’s boss.· Mr Gergen will best serve his new boss if he reminds him of the strengths of one of his old ones.· Maybe he was about to fail to impress his new boss.· Running the show is the new boss of bosses, Bernardo Provenzano.· Recently, Jeff had allowed himself to get into a serious personality conflict with a new boss.· Tracy Corkhill has a new boss.· He quickly discovered that his new boss had trouble in communicating.· They tried to use the methods they had learned at Harvard until these were vetoed by their new boss.· When I got a new boss who gave me the control, I was finally able to do my job.
· These are old party bosses who believe in strong central government, not least because it confirms their own power.· One former Garcia confidante has testified in court that his old boss handed out millions to government officials who protected his shipments.· Though the old boss was supposed to calm down the markets, the opposite happened.· He remembered the way the old boss, Bill Simon, had treated the first mortgage securities.· His timing was impeccable attacking his old boss on the day he was making a big speech on the economy.· Gergen, who worked for Nixon, says his old boss thought the press had too much power.· And nationalisation: that was great because it got rid of the old bosses.· We track down his old bosses, in nursing homes.
NOUN· Bosses hold off on pay COMPANY bosses are leading by example on pay restraint.· That job was completed, but not without Hart expressing his views on the Santa Rita controversy to a few company bosses.· Behind bars ... toy company bosses jailed for multi-million pound fraud.· He plays the shipping company boss Mr Jaeger: Male speaker He's only filming for two days.· Mersey Barrage Company bosses say the scheme has proved too bold for the funding it needed.
· He will probably be none other than General Jaruzelski, the party boss.· Kennelly raged to the press about the evil party bosses and they took up his cry.· With him as party boss, the current impasse will continue.· The party bosses did what they had always done, which would be unthinkable today.· These are old party bosses who believe in strong central government, not least because it confirms their own power.· Sharaf Rashidov, the former party boss, would lie about the cotton crop year after year to ingratiate himself with Moscow.· Nobody, least of all a Party boss, could be expected to watch, still more record, domestic television output!
· Joe Burke, ward boss and alderman, begat Edward Burke, ward boss and alderman.· Paul Sheridan, ward boss and alderman, begat Paul Sheridan, alderman.· Theodore Swinarski, ward boss, begat Donald Swinarski, alderman.· David Hartigan begat Neil Hartigan, ward boss and chief park district attorney.· Many of the Daley aldermen are ward bosses.· Louis Garippo, ward boss, begat Louis Garippo, judge.· Lewis had been the ward boss in name only, because white precinct captains ran the organization, including him.· Service and favors, the staples of the precinct captain and his ward boss.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► show (somebody) who’s boss
1the person who employs you or who is in charge of you at work: - A caretaker boss is expected to be named today.
- A player representation, led by caretaker manager Edwin Stein, received a rapturous welcome.
- All three parties undertook to support the caretaker government until the elections.
- And caretaker boss Barrow said he was a little disappointed at not taking three points!
- In the meantime, his assistant, Mr Ronnie Moran, would act as caretaker manager.
- The caretaker government had earlier introduced new laws increasing the penalties for election offences.
- They sought extra-parliamentary means to oust Chavalit, establish a caretaker government and hold a new election.
I’ll have to ask my boss for a day off. Since I’m my own boss (=I work for myself, rather than for an employer), my hours are flexible.2informal someone with an important position in a company or other organization: the new boss at Paramount Pictures union bosses3the person who is the strongest in a relationship, who controls a situation etc: When you first start training a dog, it’s important to let him see that you’re the boss. You’ve got to show the kids who’s boss.4a round decoration on the surface of something, for example on the ceiling of an old buildingTHESAURUSboss the person who is in charge of you at work. Boss sounds rather informal. The usual word to use in more formal English is manager: · Does your boss know you're looking for another job?manager the person in charge of a business such as a shop, a bank, or a hotel, or of a part of a business: · I'd like to speak to the hotel manager.· the sales manager· the manager of an Italian restauranthead the person who is in charge of an organization or a department within that organization: · the head of the CIA· My wife's head of the French department at the university.· He was the former head of the American Cancer Society.chief the most important person or one of the most important people in an organization such as the police, the fire department, or the army: · the chief of police· police/army/fire chiefs· Health chiefs have secured cash to build two new hospitals.president especially American English the person who is in charge of a large company or a department within a company: · the president of CBS news· Angry shareholders called for the resignation of the company president.managing director British English the person who is in charge of the daily management of a company or organization: · He's the managing director of a small printing firm.chief executive (also chief executive officer, CEO) the person who is in charge of the daily management of a company: · the CEO of General Motors· Universal Studios is looking for a new chief executive.supervisor someone who is in charge of a group of workers, whose job is to make sure that the workers do what the manager wants: · He was employed as a warehouse supervisor.line manager the manager who is directly in charge of you in a company: · If you want to take a holiday, first ask your line manager.report to somebody if you report to someone in a company, that person is directly in charge of you: · Jan is based in Birmingham and reports to the Head of Marketing.boss1 nounboss2 verbboss3 adjective
bossboss2 verb [transitive] to tell people to do things, give them orders etc, especially when you have no authority to do itboss somebody about British English, boss somebody around American English Five-year-old girls love to boss people around.boss1 nounboss2 verbboss3 adjective
bossboss3 adjective informal very good, attractive, or fashionable: a boss car