boss

• POS: Adjective, Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

boss, n. [OE. boce, bose, boche, OF. boce, boche, bosse, F. bosse, of G. origin; cf. OHG. bōzo tuft, bunch, OHG. bōzan, MHG. bôzen, to beat. See Beat, and cf. Botch a swelling.].

•  Any protuberant part; a round, swelling part or body; a knoblike process; as, a boss of wood.  [1913 Webster]
•  A protuberant ornament on any work, either of different material from that of the work or of the same, as upon a buckler or bridle; a stud; a knob; the central projection of a shield. See Umbilicus.  [1913 Webster]
•  A projecting ornament placed at the intersection of the ribs of ceilings, whether vaulted or flat, and in other situations.  [1913 Webster]
•  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.  Gwilt.  [1913 Webster]
•  The enlarged part of a shaft, on which a wheel is keyed, or at the end, where it is coupled to another.  [1913 Webster]
•  A head or reservoir of water.  [1913 Webster]

boss, v. t. [OE. bocen, fr. OF. bocier. See the preceding word.].

 To ornament with bosses; to stud.  [1913 Webster]

boss, n. [D. baas master.].

 A master workman or superintendent; a director or manager; a political dictator.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

boss, n. & v. colloq.
--n.
1 a person in charge; an employer, manager, or overseer.
2 US a person who controls or dominates a political organization.
--v.tr.
1 (usu. foll. by about, around) treat domineeringly; give constant peremptory orders to.
2 be the master or manager of.

boss, n.
1 a round knob, stud, or other protuberance, esp. on the centre of a shield or in ornamental work.
2 Archit. a piece of ornamental carving etc. covering the point where the ribs in a vault or ceiling cross.
3 Geol. a large mass of igneous rock.
4 Mech. an enlarged part of a shaft.

Etymology

ME f. OF boce f. Rmc

THESAURUS

boss

A per se, Big Brother, OK, ace, ace-high, administrator, anaglyph, ascendant, at the head, auditor, bad, bang-up, bas-relief, big cheese, bilge, blain, bleb, blister, blob, boatswain, bonzer, bow, bubble, bulb, bulge, bulla, bully, bump, bunch, burl, but good, button, bwana, cacique, cahot, cameo, cameo glass, capital, cavo-rilievo, champion, chaperon, chase, chef, chief, chieftain, chine, church dignitary, clump, coarsen, cock, colophon, command, commander, commanding, comptroller, concavity, condyle, control, controller, controlling, convex, convexity, cool, corking, crackerjack, cut glass, dactylogram, dactylograph, dandy, dean, delicious, dent, dint, direct, director, dominant, dominate, domineer, dowel, ducky, ear, ecclesiarch, elder, emboss, embossment, employer, excrescence, fab, famous, fine, fine and dandy, fingerprint, first-rate, flange, flap, floor manager, floorman, floorwalker, footmark, footprint, footstep, foreman, fossil footprint, fugleman, gaffer, gall, ganger, gear, general, genius, glyph, glyptograph, gnarl, goodman, governing, governor, granulate, great, groovy, guru, handle, head, headman, heavy, hegemonic, hegemonistic, hierarch, high relief, higher-up, hill, himself, honcho, horripilate, hot, hump, hunch, hunky-dory, husband, ichnite, ichnolite, impress, impression, imprint, in ascendancy, in charge, in chief, in the ascendant, indent, indentation, indention, inspector, intaglio, intaglio rilevato, intaglio rilievo, jam-up, jog, joggle, just dandy, keen, keep in order, keynoter, kingpin, knob, knot, knur, knurl, laureate, leader, leading, liege, liege lord, lip, loop, lord, lord it over, lord paramount, low relief, lump, man higher up, manage, manager, managing director, marvy, mask, master, mean, medal, medallion, mole, monitor, mountain, neat, nevus, nifty, nobby, noncommissioned officer, nonpareil, nub, nubbin, nubble, okay, order about, out of sight, overlook, overlord, overman, oversee, overseeing, overseer, owner, pad, padrone, papilloma, paragon, paramount, paterfamilias, patriarch, patron, paw print, pawmark, peachy, peachy-keen, peg, pimple, plaquette, policy maker, predominant, predominate, prepollent, preponderant, preponderate, prepotent, president, prevalent, prexy, principal, print, proctor, prodigy, proprietor, pug, pugmark, quarterback, rabbi, raise, regnant, regulating, regulative, regulatory, reigning, relief, relievo, rib, ride herd on, ridge, ring, ringleader, ripping, rough, rough up, roughen, ruler, ruling, rum, run, sachem, sahib, scrumptious, sculptured glass, seal, seigneur, seignior, senior, shoulder, sigil, signet, sirdar, slap-up, slave driver, smashing, solid, something else, sovereign, spiffing, spiffy, spine, stamp, stand over, standard-bearer, star, starets, step, straw boss, stud, stunning, style, subforeman, super, superintend, superintendent, superior, superman, superstar, supervise, supervising, supervisor, supervisory, supreme, survey, surveyor, swell, tab, take care of, take charge, taskmaster, teacher, the greatest, the most, thumbmark, thumbprint, top, top dog, tough, tubercle, tubercule, verruca, vesicle, vestige, virtuoso, visitor, wale, wart, welt, wizard

ROGET THESAURUS

boss

Direction

VB direct, manage, govern, conduct, order, prescribe, cut out work for, bead, lead, lead the way, show the way, take the lead, lead on, regulate, guide, steer, pilot, tackle, take the helm, be at the helm, have the reins, handle the reins, hold the reins, take the reins, drive, tool, superintend, supervise, overlook, control, keep in order, look after, see to, legislate for, administer, ministrate, matronize, have the care of, have the charge of, be in charge of, have charge of, take the direction, boss, boss one around, pull the strings, pull the wires, rule, have the direction, hold office, hold the portfolio, preside, preside at the board, take the chair, occupy the chair, be in the chair, pull the stroke oar, tend towards, bend towards, point towards, conduct to, go to, point to, point at, bend, trend, verge, incline, dip, determine, steer for, steer towards, make for, make towards, aim at, level at, take aim, keep a course, hold a course, be bound for, bend one's steps towards, direct one's course, steer one's course, bend one's course, shape one's course, align one's march, allign one's march, to straight, go straight to the point, march on, march on a point, ascertain one's direction, s'orienter, see which way the wind blows, box the compass, take the air line.

Director

N director, manager, governor, rector, comptroller, superintendent, supervisor, straw boss, intendant, overseer, overlooker, supercargo, husband, inspector, visitor, ranger, surveyor, aedile, moderator, monitor, taskmaster, master, leader, ringleader, demagogue, corypheus, conductor, fugleman, precentor, bellwether, agitator, caporal, choregus, collector, file leader, flugelman, linkboy, guiding star, adviser, guide, pilot, helmsman, steersman, steermate, wire-puller, driver, whip, Jehu, charioteer, coachman, carman, cabman, postilion, vetturino, muleteer, arriero, teamster, whipper in, head, head man, head center, boss, principal, president, speaker, chair, chairman, chairwoman, chairperson, captain, superior, mayor, vice president, prime minister, premier, vizier, grand vizier, eparch, officer, functionary, minister, official, red-tapist, bureaucrat, man in office, Jack in office, office bearer, person in authority, statesman, strategist, legislator, lawgiver, politician, statist, statemonger, Minos, Draco, arbiter, boss, political dictator, board, secretary, secretary of state, Reis Effendi, vicar, steward, factor, agent, bailiff, middleman, foreman, clerk of works, landreeve, factotum, major-domo, seneschal, housekeeper, shepherd, croupier, proctor, procurator, ex officio, director, manager, governor, rector, comptroller, superintendent, supervisor, straw boss, intendant, overseer, overlooker, supercargo, husband, inspector, visitor, ranger, surveyor, aedile, moderator, monitor, taskmaster, master, leader, ringleader, demagogue, corypheus, conductor, fugleman, precentor, bellwether, agitator, caporal, choregus, collector, file leader, flugelman, linkboy, guiding star, adviser, guide, pilot, helmsman, steersman, steermate, wire-puller, driver, whip, Jehu, charioteer, coachman, carman, cabman, postilion, vetturino, muleteer, arriero, teamster, whipper in, head, head man, head center, boss, principal, president, speaker, chair, chairman, chairwoman, chairperson, captain, superior, mayor, vice president, prime minister, premier, vizier, grand vizier, eparch, officer, functionary, minister, official, red-tapist, bureaucrat, man in office, Jack in office, office bearer, person in authority, statesman, strategist, legislator, lawgiver, politician, statist, statemonger, Minos, Draco, arbiter, boss, political dictator, board, secretary, secretary of state, Reis Effendi, vicar, steward, factor, agent, bailiff, middleman, foreman, clerk of works, landreeve, factotum, major-domo, seneschal, housekeeper, shepherd, croupier, proctor, procurator, ex officio.

Authority

VB authorize, warrant, dictate, be at the head of, hold office, be in office, fill an office, hold master, occupy master, a post master, be master, have the upper hand, get the upper hand, have the whip, get the whip, gain a hold upon, preponderate, dominate, rule the roost, boss, override, overrule, overawe, lord it over, hold in hand, keep under, make a puppet of, lead by the nose, turn round one's little finger, bend to one's will, hold one's own, wear the breeches, have the ball at one's feet, have it all one's own way, have the game in one's own hand, have on the hip, have under one's thumb, be master of the situation, take the lead, play first fiddle, set the fashion, give the law to, carry with a high hand, lay down the law, ride in the whirlwind and direct the storm, rule with a rod of iron.

Master

N master, padrone, lord, lord paramount, commander, commandant, captain, chief, chieftain, sirdar, sachem, sheik, head, senior, governor, ruler, dictator, leader, boss, cockarouse, sagamore, werowance, lord of the ascendant, cock of the walk, cock of the roost, gray mare, mistress, potentate, liege, liege lord, suzerain, sovereign, monarch, autocrat, despot, tyrant, oligarch, crowned head, emperor, king, anointed king, majesty, imperator, protector, president, stadholder, judge, ceasar, kaiser, czar, tsar, sultan, soldan, grand Turk, caliph, imaum, shah, padishah, sophi, mogul, great mogul, khan, lama, tycoon, mikado, tenno, inca, cazique, voivode, landamman, seyyid, Abuna, cacique, czarowitz, grand seignior, prince, duke, archduke, doge, elector, seignior, marland, margrave, rajah, emir, wali, sheik nizam, nawab, empress, queen, sultana, czarina, princess, infanta, duchess, margravine, czarevna, czarita, maharani, rani, rectrix, regent, viceroy, exarch, palatine, khedive, hospodar, beglerbeg, three-tailed bashaw, pasha, bashaw, bey, beg, dey, scherif, tetrarch, satrap, mandarin, subahdar, nabob, maharajah, burgrave, laird, collector, commissioner, deputy commissioner, woon, the authorities, the powers that be, the government, staff, etat major, aga, official, man in office, person in authority, sircar, sirkar, Sublime Porte, marshal, field marshal, marechal, general, generalissimo, commander in chief, seraskier, hetman, lieutenant general, major general, colonel, lieutenant colonel, major, captain, centurion, skipper, lieutenant, first lieutenant, second lieutenant, sublieutenant, officer, staff officer, aide-de-camp, brigadier, brigade major, adjutant, jemidar, ensign, cornet, cadet, subaltern, noncommissioned officer, warrant officer, sergeant, sergeant major, color sergeant, corporal, corporal major, lance corporal, acting corporal, drum major, captain general, dizdar, knight marshal, naik, pendragon, mayor, mayoralty, prefect, chancellor, archon, provost, magistrate, syndic, alcalde, alcaid, burgomaster, corregidor, seneschal, alderman, councilman, committeeman, councilwoman, warden, constable, portreeve, lord mayor, officer, dewan, fonctionnaire, admiral, admiralty, rear admiral, vice admiral, port admiral, commodore, captain, commander, lieutenant, ensign, skipper, mate, master, officer of the day, OD, navarch, da locum melioribus, der Furst ist der erste Diener seines Staats, the prince is the first servant of his state, lord of thy presence and no land beside.

Convexity

N convexity, prominence, projection, swelling, gibbosity, bilge, bulge, protuberance, protrusion, camber, cahot, thank-ye-ma'am, swell, intumescence, tumour, tumor, tubercle, tuberosity, excrescence, hump, hunch, bunch, boss, embossment, hub, hubble, tooth, knob, elbow, process, apophysis, condyle, bulb, node, nodule, nodosity, tongue, dorsum, bump, clump, sugar loaf, bow, mamelon, molar, belly, corporation, pot belly, gut, withers, back, shoulder, lip, flange, pimple, zit, wen, wheel, papula, pustule, pock, proud flesh, growth, sarcoma, caruncle, corn, wart, pappiloma, furuncle, polypus, fungus, fungosity, exostosis, bleb, blister, blain, boil, airbubble, blob, papule, verruca, papilla, nipple, teat, tit, titty, boob, knocker, pap, breast, dug, mammilla, proboscis, nose, neb, beak, snout, nozzle, schnoz, peg, button, stud, ridge, rib, jutty, trunnion, snag, cupola, dome, arch, balcony, eaves, pilaster, relief, relievo, cameo, bassorilievo, mezzorilevo, altorivievo, low relief, bas relief, high relief, hill, cape, promontory, mull, forehead, foreland, point of land, mole, jetty, hummock, ledge, spur, naze, ness, convex, prominent, protuberant, projecting, bossed, embossed, bossy, nodular, bunchy, clavate, clavated, claviform, hummocky, moutonne, mammiliform, papulous, papilose, hemispheric, bulbous, bowed, arched, bold, bellied, tuberous, tuberculous, tumous, cornute, odontoid, lentiform, lenticular, gibbous, club shaped, hubby, hubbly, knobby, papillose, saddle-shaped, selliform, subclavate, torose, ventricose, verrucose, salient, in relief, raised, repousse, bloated, (expanded).