boss

plural bosses

1. One who is in charge of something.
   1. One who oversees and directs the work of others; a supervisor.

      The boss of the company was going to Spain for work.

      2 more examples

      Rule Number Two: Always treat the boss as if he's blind and stupid.

      2000 February 5, Douglas Watkinson et al., “Beyond the Grave”, in Midsomer Murders

      This means giving feedback in a way that the boss cannot identify who has given it. Let’s face it: we have some vindictive people as bosses, and you don’t want to be the target of their wrath.

      2018 February 18, Dawn Pine, “Strategies for Dealing with a Bad Boss”, in Return of Kings, archived from the original on 01 Oct 2020

      Synonyms: manager, supervisor

   2. A person in charge of a business or company.

      My boss complains that I'm always late to work.

      2 more examples

      Chat turned to whisper when the boss entered the conference room.

      "Our Boss has resigned!" said Joe Chandler slowly, impressively. "No! Not the Commissioner o’ Police?" exclaimed Bunting.

      1913, Marie Adelaide Belloc Lowndes, The Lodger

      Synonyms: employer

   3. A leader, the head of an organized group or team.

      They named him boss because he had good leadership skills.

      Synonyms: head, leader

   4. The head of a political party in a given region or district.

      He is the Republican boss in Kentucky.

      Synonyms: leader

   5. AustraliaThe male owner or man in charge of a large rural property.

      Above all, she must not tell the boss of any little irregularity she may see.

      1937, Ion L. Idriess, Over the Range, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, published 1947, page 5

   6. humorousOne's wife.

      There's no olive oil; will sunflower oil do? — I'll have to run that by the boss.

   7. IndiaMulticultural London EnglishPhilippinesespeciallyinformalA term of address to a man, especially a customer; sometimes also to a friend or acquaintance of equal standing.

      Good to see you, boss.

2. video gamesAn enemy, often at the end of a level, that is particularly challenging and must be beaten in order to progress.

   1 more example

   Cuphead built a reputation for difficulty before release, but its boss battles are mostly about recognizing patterns than getting lucky against unfair bosses. Watching players ace their way through the game’s bosses is a spellbinding reminder that even tough games can be defeated easily with hard work.

   2017 October 2, Heather Alexandra, “Cuphead Player Beats Bosses Without Taking A Single Hit”, in Kotaku, archived from the original on 18 Feb 2018

   Synonyms: guardian

present singular third person bosses · participle present bossing · participle past bossed · past bossed

1. transitiveTo exercise authoritative control over; to tell (someone) what to do, often repeatedly.

   For if, on the one hand, I bossed him and showed him what to do and how to do it, [...]

   1980, Jean Toomer, The wayward and the seeking: a collection of writings by Jean Toomer, page 40

   4 more examples

   By YOU last night’s journey was actually bossed / Without you, I’m certain, we’d all have been lost.

   1931, Robert L. May, Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Montgomery Ward (publisher)

   His sisters bossed him and spoiled him. All their lives he was to go on being their little brother, who could do no wrong, because he was the baby; [...]

   1932, Lorine Pruette, The Parent and the Happy Child, page 76

   She bossed him, and he's never gotten over it. She still orders him around, and instead of telling her to go soak her head, he just says 'Yes, ma'am' as weak as a newborn jellyfish [...]

   1967, Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, The purloined paperweight, page 90

   Clarke was undoubtedly made to change things and for spells, the Czechs bossed the game. Scotland's midfield was nullified, Dykes struggled to hold the ball up while, barring a small handful of forays by Robertson, there was a distinct lack of width from the Scots.

   2021 June 14, Scott Mullen, “Scotland 0-2 Czech Republic”, in BBC Sport

   Synonyms: lord over, boss around

comparative bosser · superlative bossest

1. CanadaUSslangLiverpoolOf excellent quality, first-rate.

   That is a boss Zefron poster.

   1 more example

   Boy 2: He's the neatest looking guy on TV! Boy 3: I'll say! Boy 1: He sure is! Boy 3: Boy, the way he talks is really boss!

   1966 February 17, Dennis Whitcomb, “Zombo” (7:35 from the start), in The Munsters, season 2, episode 22

plural bosses

1. A lump, protuberance, or swelling in an animal, person or object.
   1. geographyA lump-like mass of rock, especially one projecting through a stratum of different rock.
   2. A convex protuberance in hammered work, especially the rounded projection in the centre of a shield.
   3. engineeringA protrusion; frequently a cylinder of material that extends beyond a hole.

      The seargent […] screwing a bipod into the threaded boss on the underside of the barrel would kill these animals […]

      1985, Cormac McCarthy, chapter IV, in Blood Meridian […] , →OCLC

      1 more example

      To the upper part of the frame a chain is attached, and if the screw shaft be drawn back out of the boss, the square frame may be hove up by carrying the chain to a winch—the sliding block maintaining the frame in the perpendicular position.

      1846, editorial staff, “Maudslay's Improvements in propelling Machinery”, in Scientific American (1), volume 2, number 13, page 100

   4. architectureA knob or projection, usually at the intersection of ribs in a vault.
   5. architectureA roughly cut stone set in place for later carving.
2. archeryA target block, made of foam but historically made of hay bales, to which a target face is attached.
3. A wooden vessel for the mortar used in tiling or masonry, hung by a hook from the laths, or from the rounds of a ladder.

   Boss, a short trough for holding water, when tiling the roof

   1842, Peter Nicholson, The Mechanic's Companion

4. A head or reservoir of water.

present singular third person bosses · participle present bossing · participle past bossed · past bossed

1. transitiveTo decorate with bosses; to emboss.

plural bosses

1. obsoleteA hassock or small seat, especially made from a bundle of straw.

   All were waiting : uncle Charles, who sat far away in the shadow of the window, Dante and Mr Casey, who sat in the easy chairs at either side of the hearth, Stephen, seated on a chair between them, his feet resting on a toasting boss.

   1916, James Joyce, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Macmillan Press Ltd, paperback, section 36

   Synonyms: footrest, hassock

1. A surname.

1. USabbreviationacronymbusinessAcronym of Bond and Option Sales Strategy.