overlord
overlord — 名詞
- overlordsingular
- overlordsplural
1. a person who occupies the highest position in a system of ranked rulers, holding
霸主；領主
權力凌駕於眾人之上的統治者
a person who occupies the highest position in a system of ranked rulers, holding authority over many others including subordinate leaders — in feudal society, a major landowner who governed several lesser lords and the villages on their land.
In medieval times, the local overlord demanded crops and taxes from every village on his land.
中世紀時期，當地的領主向境內每個村莊徵收作物和稅金。
historical feudal context
Tendai compared the international corporation to a modern overlord that controls factories in dozens of countries.
Tendai 把這家跨國公司比作現代霸主，在幾十個國家控制著工廠。
metaphorical use: corporate overlord
The rebels fought for years to throw off their foreign overlord and rule themselves.
反抗軍奮戰多年，終於擺脫了外來霸主的統治，得以自主治理。
Lucía refused to let any manager or supervisor act like an overlord in her workplace.
Lucía 拒絕讓任何主管或經理在工作場所中像霸主一樣頤指氣使。
The ancient kingdom paid yearly tribute to its powerful overlord across the mountains.
那個古老王國每年向群山彼端強大的霸主進貢。
- ruler
broader; a ruler can be any kind of leader, while an overlord implies dominance over other rulers or groups
- sovereign
formal; focuses on supreme authority within a territory, whereas overlord emphasises power over other authorities
- lord
more specific to feudal systems; overlord is a lord who stands above other lords
- master
stronger connotation of ownership rather than political hierarchy
用法筆記
Often used in a historical or political context, but also appears metaphorically for any powerful authority figure or dominant group.