boss

Meanings

Noun

• A person who oversees and directs the work of others; a supervisor.
• A person in charge of a business or company.
• A leader, the head of an organized group or team.
• The head of a political party in a given region or district.
• An enemy, often at the end of a level, that is particularly challenging and must be beaten in order to progress.
• Wife.
• A swelling, lump or protuberance in an animal, person or object.
• A lump-like mass of rock, especially one projecting through a stratum of different rock.
• A convex protuberance in hammered work, especially the rounded projection in the centre of a shield.
• A protrusion, frequently a cylinder of material that extends beyond a hole.
• A knob or projection, usually at the intersection of ribs in a vault.
• A target block, made of foam but historically made of hay bales, to which a target face is attached.
• 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.
• A head or reservoir of water.
• A hassock or small seat, especially made from a bundle of straw.

Verb

• To exercise authoritative control over; to tell (someone) what to do, often repeatedly.
• To decorate with bosses; to emboss.

Adjective

• Of excellent quality, first-rate.

Related

Similar words

• : line manager, manager, supervisor
• : gov/guv , guvnor , mate
• : footrest, hassock

Origin

• From Dutch baas, from Middle Dutch baes, from Old Dutch *baso, from Proto-Germanic *baswô, masculine form of Proto-Germanic *baswǭ. Cognate with Middle Low German bās ("supervisor, foreman"), Old Frisian bas ("master"), hence Saterland Frisian Boas, Old High German basa ("father's sister, cousin"), hence German Base.
• Originally a term of respect used to address an older relative. Later, in New Amsterdam, it began to mean a person in charge who is not a master. The representation of Dutch -aa- by English -o- is due to the older unrounded pronunciation of this letter, which is still used in North America and parts of Ireland, but was formerly found in some British accents as well.
• The video game sense is borrowed from .
• From Middle English bos, bose, boce, from Old French boce, from Frankish *bottja, from Proto-Germanic *bautaną. beat; see there for more.
• Apparently a corruption of bass.