captain — English Dictionary

Noun

1. A chief or leader.

   Examples

   For out of the shal come a captaine, whych shall govern my people israhel.

   Stand up-stand up, Northumberland! / I bid you answer true, / If England's King has under his hand / A Captain as good as you?

2. The person lawfully in command of a ship or other vessel.

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   Merchants, common sailors, captains of vessels, skippers, […] naval officers of all countries, and the Governments of several states on the two continents, were deeply interested in the matter.

   The captain is the last man to leave a sinking ship.

3. An army officer with a rank between the most senior grade of lieutenant and major.

   Examples

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   "A fine man, that Dunwody, yonder," commented the young captain, as they parted, and as he turned to his prisoner. "We'll see him on in Washington some day. He is strengthening his forces now against Mr. Benton out there.[…]."

4. A naval officer with a rank between commander and commodore.

5. 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.

6. A rank qualifying an airline pilot to act as pilot in command of a two-pilot flight crew.

7. 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.

   Examples

   Captain's supposed to be the leader, right?

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   As Di Matteo celebrated and captain John Terry raised the trophy for the fourth time, the Italian increased his claims to become the permanent successor to Andre Villas-Boas by landing a trophy.

8. The leader of a group of workers.

   Examples

   John Henry said to the captain, "A man ain't nothing but a man."

   The assistant mine captains then reported to the mine captain in charge of all underground operations and subordinate only to the superintendent himself.

9. The head boy of a school.

10. A maître d', a headwaiter.

    Examples

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    1977, Don Felder, Don Henley, and Glenn Frey, lyricists, "Hotel California", So I called up the Captain, "Please bring me my wine." / He said: "We haven't had that spirit here since 1969."

11. An honorific title given to a prominent person. See colonel.

    Usage

    • Southern-US

Verb

1. To act as captain

   Usage

   • Intransitive

2. To exercise command of a ship, aircraft or sports team.

   Usage

   • Transitive

Noun

1. an officer holding a rank below a major but above a lieutenant

   Broader terms

   commissioned military officer

2. the naval officer in command of a military ship

   Synonyms

   skipper

   Broader terms

   commissioned naval officer

3. a policeman in charge of a precinct

   Synonyms

   police captainpolice chief

   Broader terms

   police officerofficer

4. an officer who is licensed to command a merchant ship

   Synonyms

   mastersea captainskipper

   Broader terms

   officership's officer

5. the leader of a group of people

   Synonyms

   chieftain

   Broader terms

   leader

   Examples

   a captain of industry

6. the pilot in charge of an airship

   Synonyms

   senior pilot

   Broader terms

   pilotairplane pilot

7. a dining-room attendant who is in charge of the waiters and the seating of customers

   Synonyms

   headwaitermaitre d'hotelmaitre d'

   Broader terms

   dining-room attendantrestaurant attendant

Verb

1. be the captain of a sports team

   Broader terms

   headlead