chief

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++chief1 /tʃiːf/ ●●● S2 W2 adjective  1  HIGH POSITION OR RANK[only before noun] highest in rank 最高级别的，首席的 He was recently appointed chief economist at the Bank of Scotland. 他最近被任命为苏格兰银行的首席经济学家。 the government’s chief medical officer 政府的首席卫生官员2  MAINmost important 最重要的，主要的 SYN main, → chiefly One of the chief causes of crime today is drugs. 毒品是如今犯罪的主要诱因之一。 Safety is our chief concern. 安全问题是我们的头等大事。 The chief reason for this is that people are living longer. 这主要是因为人们更长寿了。 his chief rival for the job 和他竞争这份工作的主要对手 the prosecution’s chief witness 控方的主要证人 She had many reasons for taking the money, but chief among them was revenge. 她拿这笔钱的原因有很多，但最主要的是为了报复。► see thesaurus at important, main3. chief cook and bottle washer IN CHARGE OFsomeone who does a lot of small jobs to make sure that an event is successful – used humorously 事必躬亲的负责人，百管部长，当家的〔幽默用法〕

Examples from the Corpus

chief• He was soon appointed chief engineer of the subsidiary company, Ashmore, Benson, Pease & Co.• Mr Caserta led Caserta as president and chief executive.• The duchess's chief failing seems to me an inability even to spell perjury.• Advertising provides the radio station's chief form of revenue.• Troops have been stationed in the chief fortresses of the country.• The chief internal auditor must be assisted by sufficient staff of the right quality and quantity.• Rehnquist is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.• the chief medical officer• Matthew had made his fire plan and cleared it with chief officer of the Wellingham fire brigade.• The chief policeman went on talking with the Brooks Brothers clerk, seemingly unperturbed by the size and mood of the mob.• The new chief weapons inspector, Hans Blix, may make a difference.chief causes• In due course the numbers will be drastically reduced by natural mortalities, disease and predators being the chief causes.• One of the chief causes at the present time was the increase in interest rates, especially for the self-employed.• Criminologists have long argued that one of the chief causes of crime is fear of crime.• In women aged 65 and older, spasms are one of the chief causes of loss of bladder control.

Related topics: Government

chief2 ●●● W3 noun [countable]  1  SB in charge of an organization 组织的领导人IN CHARGE OF the most important person, or one of the most important people, in a company or organization – used especially in job titles and in news reports 首领，最高领导人〔尤用于职位头衔和新闻报道中〕police/army/fire etc chief Los Angeles Police Chief Willie L. Williams 洛杉矶警察局局长威利•L•威廉斯chief of the British Chief of Defence Staff 英国国防部参谋长 Most health chiefs believe the reforms have gone too far. 大多数卫生部领导人都觉得改革搞得过火了。 industry chiefs 工业界领袖commander-in-chief/editor-in-chief etc (=used in job titles for people with the highest rank) 总指挥/总编辑等 They offered him the position of editor-in-chief. 他们请他当总编辑。2  ruler of tribe 部落首领PGHIGH POSITION OR RANK the ruler of a tribe 部落首领，酋长 the Zulu leader, Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi 祖鲁族首领曼戈苏图•布特莱齐酋长 Native American tribal chiefs 印第安人部落酋长3. too many chiefs and not enough Indians British EnglishTOO/TOO MUCH used to say there are too many people saying how something should be done and not enough people doing it 官多兵少；动嘴的多，动手的少4. great white chief British English old-fashionedIN CHARGE OF the person in charge of a group of people, company, organization etc – used humorously 首领，头目，上司〔幽默用法〕

Examples from the Corpus

chief• But Yeltsin has met with only a handful of people in recent weeks, including Chernomyrdin and chief of staff Anatoly Chubais.• That makes him chief of the largest urban forestry program in the nation.• But the then naval chief suspended the prison sentences; the men returned the money and were dismissed from the navy.• the police chief• His arms and legs were eaten by the principal chiefs of the nation, and the rest distributed among the people.• The role of the chief is crucial.• Then the chief insulted him and the pony, saying the animal looked just like a mud pony.• a Native American tribal chief• He was chief of SAS flight operations in Stockholm.• Jeremy Boorda, who was chief of naval operations.police/army/fire etc chief• An attempt was made to blow up a police chief.• In an announcement, Army Chief of Staff Gen.• Gerry de Silva was formally appointed army Chief of Staff on Oct. 23.• After all, there was no reason for the Bullens Creek police chief to lie about it.• My father knew everybody from the police chief to the governor.• Smiling residents stroll along a cozy, old-fashioned street; the police chief stops and chats with passing motorists.tribal chiefs• It was largely due to him that I managed to negotiate successfully with government officials and tribal chiefs during the months that followed.• But much of it also went into the unbridled and anachronistic opulence of the royal family and the main tribal chiefs.• He curbed the tribal chiefs and imposed a secular legal code.Origin chief2 (1200-1300) Old French “head, chief”, from Latin caput “head”

chief1 adjectivechief2 nounChinese  

in highest rank Corpus

chief

I

chief¹ S2 W2 /tʃiːf/ adjective
1. [only before noun] highest in rank:
    He was recently appointed chief economist at the Bank of Scotland.
    the government’s chief medical officer
2. most important
   SYN  main ⇨ chiefly:
    One of the chief causes of crime today is drugs.
    Safety is our chief concern.
    The chief reason for this is that people are living longer.
    his chief rival for the job
    the prosecution’s chief witness
    She had many reasons for taking the money, but chief among them was revenge.
3. chief cook and bottle washer someone who does a lot of small jobs to make sure that an event is successful – used humorously

II

chief² W3 noun [countable]1.  SOMEBODY IN CHARGE OF AN ORGANIZATION the most important person, or one of the most important people, in a company or organization – used especially in job titles and in news reports
    police/army/fire etc chief
    Los Angeles Police Chief Willie L. Williams
    chief of
    the British Chief of Defence Staff
    Most health chiefs believe the reforms have gone too far.
    industry chiefs
    commander-in-chief/editor-in-chief etc (=used in job titles for people with the highest rank)
    They offered him the position of editor-in-chief.
2.  RULER OF TRIBE the ruler of a tribe:
    the Zulu leader, Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi
    Native American tribal chiefs
3. too many chiefs and not enough Indians British English used to say there are too many people saying how something should be done and not enough people doing it
4. great white chief British English old-fashioned the person in charge of a group of people, company, organization etc – used humorously