chief

noun

1. The leader or head of a tribe, organisation, business unit, or other group.

   “In virtue of this privilege, in testimony of my affectionate respect for a revered chief, in conformity with what I believe to be the wish of all the Members of the scientific department, over which I have the honour to preside, and to perpetuate the memory of that illustrious master of accurate geographical research, I have determined to name this noble peak of the Himalayas ‘Mont Everest.’”

   “My father, Gadla Henry Mphakanyiswa, was a chief by both blood and custom.”

   “All firefighters report to the fire chief.”

2. (uncountable)Headship, the status of being a chief or leader.

   “Bob is our troubleshooter in chief.”

3. The top part of a shield or escutcheon; more specifically, an ordinary consisting of the upper part of the field cut off by a horizontal line, generally occupying the top third.

   “When the Chief is Charged with any figure, in blazon it is said to be "On a Chief".”

4. The principal part or top of anything.
5. (ironic, sometimes)An informal term of address.

   ““How old are you, chief?” the elevator guy said.”

6. (ironic, offensive, sometimes)An informal term of address.

adj

1. Primary; principal.

   “Negligence was the chief cause of the disaster.”

   “[…] But when we find that they [volcanoes] are but few in Number, and the chiefeſt of thoſe too near the torrid Zone, and from their Tops to iſſue forth, now clear Fire, then thick, black Smoke, and ſometimes little or nothing at all; we muſt conclude, that they are only particular Fires, probably of the Sun’s kindling at firſt, and ſince continued by the caſual and incidental Applications of that Pabulum, which thoſe Part of the Earth adminiſter to them.”

   “Researchers found that one of the chief effects of drinking was to reduce people's ability to monitor their own behavior.”

2. (Scotland)Intimate, friendly.

   “'You’re doing it because she was your friend, not because she was a parishioner, and certainly not because of the Declaratory Articles,' Macmurray said, pushing himself forward on his seat. 'Everybody knows how chief you and she were. It was an unfitting relationship for a minister while she was alive, and it is equally unfitting for you to do her a favour like this now she's dead.'”

verb

1. (slang)To smoke cannabis.

name

1. A township in Mahnomen County, Minnesota, United States.