captain

Plural: captains

Noun

• an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant
• the naval officer in command of a military ship
• a policeman in charge of a precinct
• an officer who is licensed to command a merchant ship
• the leader of a group of people
  • "a captain of industry"
• the pilot in charge of an airship
• a dining-room attendant who is in charge of the waiters and the seating of customers
• A chief or leader.
• The person lawfully in command of a ship or other vessel.
• An army officer with a rank between the most senior grade of lieutenant and major.
• A naval officer with a rank between commander and commodore.
• A commissioned officer in the United States Navy, Coast Guard, NOAA Corps, or PHS Corps of a grade superior to a commander and junior to a rear admiral (lower half). A captain is equal in grade or rank to a United States Army, Marine Corps, or Air Force colonel.
• One of the athletes on a sports team who is designated to make decisions, and is allowed to speak for his team with a referee or official.
• The leader of a group of workers.
• The head boy of a school.
• A maître d', a headwaiter.
• An honorific title given to a prominent person. See colonel.

Verb

Verb Forms: captained, captaining, captains

• To lead or command a group, team, or ship.
• be the captain of a sports team
• To act as captain
• To exercise command of a ship, aircraft or sports team.

Examples

• John Henry said to the captain, "A man ain't nothing but a man."
• She decided to captain her Words With Friends team to victory with a series of bold, strategic plays.
• The captain is the last man to leave a sinking ship.

Synonyms

chieftain, headwaiter, maitre d', maitre d'hotel, master, police captain, police chief, sea captain, senior pilot, skipper, CAPT, CPT, Capt, Capt., foreman, pilot, pilot in command, straw boss, supervisor

Related Words

cap, capital, capitalism, capitulate, capitulation, chapiter, chapter, chief, chieftain

Anagrams of captain