chiefs

Noun

chief (plural chiefs)

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...1857 May 11 [1856 March 1], A. S. Waugh, Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society of London, page 346

   Synonyms:

   leader, head, director, commander, governor, boss, administrator, manager

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".1889, Charles Norton Elvin, A Dictionary of Heraldry
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.1951 July 16, J[erome] D[avid] Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye, Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown and Company, →OCLC, page 119
   1. (ironic, offensive, sometimes) An informal term of address for a Native American or First Nations man.

See all 10 meanings of chief