Chief
noun
Someone who is in charge or in command. Often a leader or head of a group or organization.
He is the chief of police.
Often appears as...
- chief executive
- chief officer
adjective
Most important; main.
Their chief concern is the safety of the workers.
Often appears as...
- chief concern
- chief source
noun
The head of a tribe or clan (usually in historical or cultural contexts).
The meeting was attended by the area's tribal chiefs.
Often appears as...
- tribal chief
- clan chief
Usage tips
Historical
noun
Someone who is in charge or in command. Often a leader or head of a group or organization.
He is the chief of police.
Often appears as...
- chief executive
- chief officer
adjective
Most important; main.
Their chief concern is the safety of the workers.
Often appears as...
- chief concern
- chief source
noun
The head of a tribe or clan (usually in historical or cultural contexts).
The meeting was attended by the area's tribal chiefs.
Often appears as...
- tribal chief
- clan chief
Usage tips
Historical
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Professional Role
Used for key positions in organizations, implies responsibility and authority.
She became the chief financial officer of the company.
Pro Tip 2/3Compound Titles
Often combined with another noun to specify the leader's main area, such as 'chief engineer'.
Meet our new chief engineer, who will oversee the project.
Pro Tip 3/3Precedence Implied
Signals the person is at the top of the hierarchy or rank within a group.
The chief surgeon will make the final decision on the procedure.
Pro Tip 1/3Professional Role
Used for key positions in organizations, implies responsibility and authority.
She became the chief financial officer of the company.
Pro Tip 2/3Compound Titles
Often combined with another noun to specify the leader's main area, such as 'chief engineer'.
Meet our new chief engineer, who will oversee the project.
Pro Tip 3/3Precedence Implied
Signals the person is at the top of the hierarchy or rank within a group.
The chief surgeon will make the final decision on the procedure.
Pro Tip 1/3Professional Role
Used for key positions in organizations, implies responsibility and authority.
She became the chief financial officer of the company.
Pro Tip 2/3Compound Titles
Often combined with another noun to specify the leader's main area, such as 'chief engineer'.
Meet our new chief engineer, who will oversee the project.
Pro Tip 3/3Precedence Implied
Signals the person is at the top of the hierarchy or rank within a group.
The chief surgeon will make the final decision on the procedure.
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Video examples
A kinder, gentler...
And I think any wise life will accept, as I say, that there is going to be an element where we're not succeeding. And the thing about a successful life is that a lot of the time, our ideas of what it would mean to live successfully are not our own. They're sucked in from other people; chiefly, if you're a man, your father, and if you're a woman, your mother.
Video examples
The surprising science...
We call that the control role, to control fights in the group, and the second is to be the most empathic, the consoler in chief, basically, of the nation, so to speak. So first of all, keeping the peace. This is a male who stops a fight between two females. Two females on the left and the right
Video examples
Enthusiasm and design PIPE...
know we act as though comfort and luxury where the chief requirements of life when all that we need to make its really happy is something to be enthusiastic about and so I think it's one of the themes that were going to you know we see throughout this conference but you
Video examples
Nationalism vs....
and not finding their place in the world, I would think that the chief problem is not global capitalism. The chief problem is that over the last hundred years, people have been becoming disembodied, have been distancing themselves from their body.
Video examples
Charmian Gooch: Meet...
and you can see that on YouTube, but it proved what we had long suspected, because it showed how the state's chief minister, despite his later denials, used his control over land and forest licenses to enrich himself and his family.
Video examples
How Magellan circumnaviga...
So when the ruler asked him to help subdue and convert the rebellious chief of Mactan, the captain readily agreed. The adventure would be his last. Overconfident and severely outnumbered, Magellan's force was overwhelmed,
Video examples
Could You Pass the...
dissipate completely as the chief sees it the ritual not only marks the initiate entrance into adulthood it makes them better men if you live your life without suffering anything or without any kind of effort it won't be
Video examples
In Search of the Giant...
that's wider than a bus before any diving can take place the team must ask the local chief for permission therefore also have with us a group of scientists that are looking at very deep water fish
Video examples
The brain may be able to...
And that with a little bit of help, the brain is able to help itself. So the story started 15 years ago. At that time, I was a chief resident working days and nights in the emergency room.
Video examples
When the Towers Fell PIPE...
it's got to be fine him a trap back ditto when the chief said the tower came down I didn't think he meant the entire Twin Tower they're big radio towers on the top and
Video examples
A kinder, gentler...
And I think any wise life will accept, as I say, that there is going to be an element where we're not succeeding. And the thing about a successful life is that a lot of the time, our ideas of what it would mean to live successfully are not our own. They're sucked in from other people; chiefly, if you're a man, your father, and if you're a woman, your mother.
Video examples
The surprising science...
We call that the control role, to control fights in the group, and the second is to be the most empathic, the consoler in chief, basically, of the nation, so to speak. So first of all, keeping the peace. This is a male who stops a fight between two females. Two females on the left and the right
Video examples
Enthusiasm and design PIPE...
know we act as though comfort and luxury where the chief requirements of life when all that we need to make its really happy is something to be enthusiastic about and so I think it's one of the themes that were going to you know we see throughout this conference but you
Video examples
Nationalism vs....
and not finding their place in the world, I would think that the chief problem is not global capitalism. The chief problem is that over the last hundred years, people have been becoming disembodied, have been distancing themselves from their body.
Video examples
Charmian Gooch: Meet...
and you can see that on YouTube, but it proved what we had long suspected, because it showed how the state's chief minister, despite his later denials, used his control over land and forest licenses to enrich himself and his family.
Video examples
How Magellan circumnaviga...
So when the ruler asked him to help subdue and convert the rebellious chief of Mactan, the captain readily agreed. The adventure would be his last. Overconfident and severely outnumbered, Magellan's force was overwhelmed,
Video examples
Could You Pass the...
dissipate completely as the chief sees it the ritual not only marks the initiate entrance into adulthood it makes them better men if you live your life without suffering anything or without any kind of effort it won't be
Video examples
In Search of the Giant...
that's wider than a bus before any diving can take place the team must ask the local chief for permission therefore also have with us a group of scientists that are looking at very deep water fish
Video examples
The brain may be able to...
And that with a little bit of help, the brain is able to help itself. So the story started 15 years ago. At that time, I was a chief resident working days and nights in the emergency room.
Video examples
When the Towers Fell PIPE...
it's got to be fine him a trap back ditto when the chief said the tower came down I didn't think he meant the entire Twin Tower they're big radio towers on the top and
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Richard M. Nixon
American President
Our chief justices have probably had more profound and lasting influence on their times and on the direction of the nation than most presidents.
Quote examples
Gilbert K. Chesterton
English Writer
Science in the modern world has many uses; its chief use, however, is to provide long words to cover the errors of the rich.
Quote examples
Robert Frost
American Poet
The chief reason for going to school is to get the impression fixed for life that there is a book side for everything.
Quote examples
Khalil Gibran
Lebanese Poet
Of life's two chief prizes, beauty and truth, I found the first in a loving heart and the second in a laborer's hand.
Quote examples
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
French Writer
A chief is a man who assumes responsibility. He says 'I was beaten', he does not say 'My men were beaten.
Quote examples
H. L. Mencken
American Writer
The chief value of money lies in the fact that one lives in a world in which it is overestimated.
Quote examples
Rebekah Brooks
British Editor
I was the editor of the 'News of the World;' I was the editor of the 'Sun' and chief executive.
Quote examples
James A. Garfield
American President
The chief duty of government is to keep the peace and stand out of the sunshine of the people.
Quote examples
Edgar Allan Poe
American Poet
Man's real life is happy, chiefly because he is ever expecting that it soon will be so.
Quote examples
Socrates
Greek Philosopher
Not life, but good life, is to be chiefly valued.
Quote examples
Richard M. Nixon
American President
Our chief justices have probably had more profound and lasting influence on their times and on the direction of the nation than most presidents.
Quote examples
Gilbert K. Chesterton
English Writer
Science in the modern world has many uses; its chief use, however, is to provide long words to cover the errors of the rich.
Quote examples
Robert Frost
American Poet
The chief reason for going to school is to get the impression fixed for life that there is a book side for everything.
Quote examples
Khalil Gibran
Lebanese Poet
Of life's two chief prizes, beauty and truth, I found the first in a loving heart and the second in a laborer's hand.
Quote examples
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
French Writer
A chief is a man who assumes responsibility. He says 'I was beaten', he does not say 'My men were beaten.
Quote examples
H. L. Mencken
American Writer
The chief value of money lies in the fact that one lives in a world in which it is overestimated.
Quote examples
Rebekah Brooks
British Editor
I was the editor of the 'News of the World;' I was the editor of the 'Sun' and chief executive.
Quote examples
James A. Garfield
American President
The chief duty of government is to keep the peace and stand out of the sunshine of the people.
Quote examples
Edgar Allan Poe
American Poet
Man's real life is happy, chiefly because he is ever expecting that it soon will be so.
Quote examples
Socrates
Greek Philosopher
Not life, but good life, is to be chiefly valued.
Example 1 of 10
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