kingpin
/ˈkɪŋpɪn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkɪŋpɪn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkiŋ-ˌpin/ (ame, mw)
kingpin — noun
- kingpinsingular
- kingpinsplural
1. the single person who matters most in a group, company, or operation — the one w
the single person who matters most in a group, company, or operation — the one whose decisions keep everything else running, often used of someone with hidden or behind-the-scenes power, such as a crime boss or a top business figure.
Faisal was the kingpin of the family bakery, and nothing got baked without his approval.
the kingpin of [organization] — central decision-maker
Police arrested the alleged drug kingpin during a raid on a warehouse near the port.
collocation: drug kingpin — head of a criminal organization
Without Tendai, the start-up lost its kingpin and struggled to keep customers happy.
Reporters described the senator as the political kingpin of the southern coastal counties.
Felipe acted humble at meetings, but everyone knew he was the real kingpin.
- ringleader
stronger criminal connotation; the leader of a small group doing something wrong
- mastermind
emphasises planning and intelligence behind a scheme, not just authority
- boss
neutral and everyday; lacks the sense of hidden or top-tier influence
- linchpin
more abstract; the thing or person without which a system would fall apart
- underling
someone with no real power, working under a kingpin
文法句型
the kingpin of [organization]
用法筆記
Often carries a connotation of hidden or unofficial power; common in journalism about crime, business, or politics. Subject is usually a specific named person, not a group.
常見錯誤
2. in tenpin bowling, the pin standing at the centre of the triangle of ten pins —
in tenpin bowling, the pin standing at the centre of the triangle of ten pins — usually the fifth pin, behind the front row — which bowlers often try to hit on strike shots.
Niran rolled a curving ball that clipped the kingpin and sent every pin tumbling.
Coach Rachid told the children that hitting the kingpin straight on rarely produces a strike.
Esme watched the kingpin wobble for a second before falling against the back pins.
Liang aimed just left of the kingpin and knocked down eight pins.
- five pin
the technical bowling term for the same centre pin
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 3: this is the centre pin (the fifth, hidden inside the triangle), not the front pin. Used mainly by bowling coaches and commentators.
3. in some American bowling usage, the front pin at the tip of the triangle — the o
in some American bowling usage, the front pin at the tip of the triangle — the one closest to the bowler, also called the headpin — which is the main target on a first throw.
Aylin's first ball clipped the kingpin and left only the corner pin standing.
Henry asked the coach whether amateurs should aim straight for the kingpin.
The bowler took a deep breath, focused on the kingpin, and rolled a perfect strike.
Older American bowling guides call the front pin the kingpin, while modern books prefer headpin.
- headpin
the modern and more common term for the same front pin
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 2: this sense names the front pin (also called the headpin), not the centre fifth pin. This usage is mainly older American; modern coaches more often say headpin.