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View synonyms for

boss

1

[ baws, bos ]

noun

  1. a person who employs or superintends workers; manager.

    Synonyms: , , , , , ,

  2. a politician who controls the party organization, as in a particular district.
  3. a person who makes decisions, exercises authority, dominates, etc.:

    My grandfather was the boss in his family.

  4. (in a video game or role-playing game) a powerful nonplayer character, often appearing at the end of a level or at the end of the game, who must be defeated in order for a player to move on to a new level or to win the game (often used attributively): Your objective for this boss-level event is to survive several waves of zombie attacks.

    Is there a trick to beating the final boss?

    Your objective for this boss-level event is to survive several waves of zombie attacks.



verb (used with object)

  1. to be master of or over; manage; direct; control.
  2. to order about, especially in an arrogant manner.

verb (used without object)

  1. to be boss.
  2. to be too domineering and authoritative.

adjective

  1. Slang. first-rate.

boss

2

[ baws, bos ]

noun

  1. Botany, Zoology. a protuberance or roundish excrescence on the body or on some organ of an animal or plant.
  2. Geology. a knoblike mass of rock, especially an outcrop of igneous or metamorphic rock.
  3. an ornamental protuberance of metal, ivory, etc.; stud.
  4. Architecture.
    1. an ornamental, knoblike projection, as a carved keystone at the intersection of ogives.
    2. a stone roughly formed and set in place for later carving.
  5. Bookbinding. one of several pieces of brass or other metal inset into the cover of a book to protect the corners or edges or for decoration.
  6. Machinery. a small projection on a casting or forging.
  7. Nautical. a projecting part in a ship's hull, or in one frame of a hull, fitting around a propeller shaft.

verb (used with object)

  1. to ornament with bosses.
  2. to emboss.
  3. (in plumbing) to hammer (sheet metal, as lead) to conform to an irregular surface.

boss

3

[ bos, baws ]

noun

  1. a familiar name for a calf or cow.

boss

4

[ bos ]

adjective

Scot.

BOSS

1

/ ɒ /

acronym for

  1. Bureau of State Security; a branch of the South African security police
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

boss

2

/ ɒ /

noun

  1. a person in charge of or employing others
  2. a professional politician who controls a party machine or political organization, often using devious or illegal methods
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to employ, supervise, or be in charge of
  2. usually foll byaround or about to be domineering or overbearing towards (others)
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. slang.
    excellent; fine

    that's boss!

    a boss hand at carpentry

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

boss

3

/ ɒ /

noun

  1. a knob, stud, or other circular rounded protuberance, esp an ornamental one on a vault, a ceiling, or a shield
  2. biology any of various protuberances or swellings in plants and animals
    1. an area of increased thickness, usually cylindrical, that strengthens or provides room for a locating device on a shaft, hub of a wheel, etc
    2. a similar projection around a hole in a casting or fabricated component
  3. an exposed rounded mass of igneous or metamorphic rock, esp the uppermost part of an underlying batholith
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to ornament with bosses; emboss
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

boss

4

/ ɒ /

noun

  1. a calf or cow
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of boss1

An Americanism dating from 1640–50; from Dutch baas “master, foreman”

Origin of boss2

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English boce, from Anglo-French: “lump, growth, boil”; Old French, from unattested Vulgar Latin bottia, of uncertain origin

Origin of boss3

An Americanism first recorded in 1790–1800; compare dialectal (southwest England) borse, boss, buss “six-month-old calf”

Origin of boss4

First recorded in 1505–15; of obscure origin
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Word History and Origins

Origin of boss1

C19: from Dutch baas master; probably related to Old High German basa aunt, Frisian baes master

Origin of boss2

C13: from Old French boce , from Vulgar Latin bottia (unattested); related to Italian bozza metal knob, swelling

Origin of boss3

C19: from dialect buss calf, perhaps ultimately from Latin ō cow, ox
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

They declined to be quoted directly but explained that they were simply waiting for word from their bosses on what to do next.

From

And as far as his big boss was concerned, Gurr wants to state for the record that Walt Disney had little interest in the personal lives of his staff.

From

US federal prosecutors have filed a formal notice seeking the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, the man accused of shooting dead a healthcare boss in New York.

From

The Newcastle boss said he had "zero" involvement in the games while he was away.

From

It's great news that Newcastle boss Eddie Howe will be back in the dug-out for this game after his stay in hospital.

From

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