boss

/bɒs/ (bre, ipa) · /bɔːs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbȯs ˈbäs/ (ame, mw) · /bɑːs/ (ame, ipa)

boss — noun

1. the worker or business owner with authority over other employees, especially the

1.名詞A2
釋義

the worker or business owner with authority over other employees, especially the one who gives instructions and decides how the work is done.

例句

Priya asked her boss for Friday off after lunch.

ask your boss for time off

The new boss changed the shop schedule on his first day.

同義詞
  • manager

    more formal and often used as an official job title

  • supervisor

    focuses on checking and directing work, often at a lower level than a boss

  • employer

    the person or company that hires and pays you; not always your direct daily boss

反義詞
  • employee

    the worker who is directed by the boss

  • worker

    general word for someone doing the job rather than directing it

文法句型

my/the boss

boss of + company/team

用法筆記

Usually names the person you report to at work. It can refer to a manager inside a company or the owner of a small business; distinguish from sense 3, which is broader and more situational.

常見錯誤

❌I work under my boss in a bank.
✅I work for my boss in a bank.
💡English normally says you work 'for' an employer.

2. used in the phrase 'your own boss' for someone who earns money by working indepe

2.名詞B2
釋義

used in the phrase 'your own boss' for someone who earns money by working independently and making their own job decisions.

例句

After ten office years, Beatriz became her own boss and opened a cafe.

fixed phrase: be your own boss

Driving his own taxi lets Omar be his own boss.

同義詞
  • freelancer

    usually works independently for clients rather than employing staff

  • business owner

    emphasizes owning a business, not just working independently

  • self-employed person

    formal description for someone not employed by another company

反義詞
  • employee

    works for an employer instead of deciding their own work

文法句型

be your own boss

用法筆記

Almost only appears in the fixed phrase 'be your own boss'; it does not usually name a person by itself. Distinguish from sense 1, where a boss is the person you work for.

常見錯誤

❌She is own boss now.
✅She is her own boss now.
💡the fixed expression needs a possessive word such as 'her' or 'his'.

3. the person whose opinion decides what happens in a group, project, or other situ

3.名詞B1
釋義

the person whose opinion decides what happens in a group, project, or other situation.

例句

On this trip, Grandma is the boss because she planned everything.

pattern: be the boss

In the studio, the director is the boss when cameras start rolling.

同義詞
  • leader

    broader word that may suggest guidance as well as control

  • decision-maker

    formal term focusing on final choice rather than personal authority

  • chief

    stronger and sometimes more official or military in tone

反義詞
  • follower

    someone who accepts direction instead of giving it

  • subordinate

    formal word for a lower-ranking person

文法句型

be the boss

boss of + group

用法筆記

Often appears with 'be the boss' in a temporary setting such as a meeting, trip, or game. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is about who decides in the moment, not someone's job title.

常見錯誤

❌My sister is my boss at work.
✅My sister is the boss here today.
💡use this sense for who controls a situation, not for your formal workplace manager.

4. a powerful enemy in a video game that players usually meet at a key point and mu

4.名詞B1
釋義

a powerful enemy in a video game that players usually meet at a key point and must beat to move on.

例句

The desert boss threw fireballs across the bridge.

Our team lost twice before beating the final boss.

gaming collocation: final boss

同義詞
  • enemy

    broader word for any opponent, not specifically a major one

  • monster

    describes the creature itself, not its special role in the game

  • villain

    often used for the main bad character in the story, even outside games

反義詞
  • ally

    a character who helps the player instead of fighting them

文法句型

final boss

boss fight

用法筆記

Common in gaming language, especially in combinations like 'final boss' and 'boss fight'. Usually refers to a named enemy blocking progress.

5. a round part that sticks out from a surface and is added as decoration, for exam

5.名詞C2
釋義

a round part that sticks out from a surface and is added as decoration, for example on metal or ceilings.

例句

Gold bosses lined the rim of the old shield.

A round boss stood out from the center of the wooden door.

raised ornament on a surface

同義詞
  • stud

    usually smaller and often functional as well as decorative

  • ornament

    much broader word for any decorative detail

  • projection

    technical word for anything sticking out, whether decorative or not

文法句型

stone boss

ceiling boss

用法筆記

Mainly found in art, architecture, and museum writing. Most learners meet it when reading about old shields, doors, or church ceilings.

boss — verb

boss — adjective