這個拼法底下其實是2個不同的字,意思沒有關係, 只是長得一樣。下面分開列出來。跳到 boss (at work) · boss (architectural decoration)

1

boss

n, v, a

核心畫面

The one person who is in charge — the one everyone else answers to and takes orders from.

可以想成一個畫面:一群人在做事,而其中有一個人站在最上面,大家都聽他的、都向他報告——那個說了算、發號施令的人就是 更多收起可以想成一個畫面:一群人在做事,而其中有一個人站在最上面,大家都聽他的、都向他報告——那個說了算、發號施令的人就是 boss。整個字(不管當名詞、動詞還是俚語)都圍著「居於上位、掌控全局的那一個」這個畫面打轉。

From the word’s history

From Dutch 'baas' (master of a household), brought into American English in the 1600s; first written as 'boss' around 1806.

源自荷蘭語 baas,意思是「一家之主」,十七世紀進入美式英語,約 1806 年寫成 boss。所以這個字一開始就帶著「主事的人」的味道,後來才長出公司主管、頤指氣使、甚至「很罩很強」的俚語用法。

etymonline.com/word/boss

From the picture

發號施令(動詞)

把「老闆」這個身分變成一個動作:像老闆那樣一直指揮別人。妙的是它常帶貶意——明明沒那個權力,卻擺出老闆的架子。

boss (order people around) · verb · A2

To keep telling people what to do, especially when you have no right to.

對人發號施令、頤指氣使

很罩、很酷(俚語)

從「老闆=最強最有份量的那個」延伸出的俚語讚美:把這份「夠格當頭」的氣勢拿來形容東西很棒、很有派頭。

boss (cool, slang) · adjective · A2

Very good, cool, or stylish (an old-fashioned, slang way to say it).

超讚的、很酷的

Also in this word

boss (at work) · noun · A2

The person who you work for, or who tells you what to do at work.

老闆、上司

boss (powerful figure) · noun · A2

Someone who has an important, powerful job in a company or large group.

大老闆、高層

boss (dominant one in a relationship) · noun · A2

The person who is strongest in a relationship and controls what happens.

說了算的人、主導者

A second word, same spelling

2

boss

n

核心畫面

A round, raised bump that sticks out from a flat surface as decoration.

可以想成一個從平面上鼓起來的圓形小凸點:像盾牌正中央那顆突起的圓鈕,或老建築天花板上一塊圓圓的浮雕。這個 boss 更多收起可以想成一個從平面上鼓起來的圓形小凸點:像盾牌正中央那顆突起的圓鈕,或老建築天花板上一塊圓圓的浮雕。這個 boss 跟「老闆」完全是兩個不同來源的字,只是剛好拼法一樣——它走的是「凸起、腫起」這條路。

From the word’s history

From Old French 'boce' meaning a hump or swelling — a separate word from the 'employer' boss, which came from Dutch.

源自古法語 boce,意思是「腫塊、隆起」,和來自荷蘭語的「老闆」boss 是兩個不同的字,只是後來拼法撞在一起。所以這個 boss 從頭到尾講的都是「一塊鼓起來的東西」。

etymonline.com/word/boss

原始詞典資料22 筆記錄

以下是外部詞典記錄的用法,原文照列,我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的;有些用法可能上面已經講過了。

Bossname/bɒs/

  • 1

    A surname.

bossnoun詞源 1/bɒs/

  • 1

    One who is in charge of something.

    • The boss of the company was going to Spain for work.
    • Rule Number Two: Always treat the boss as if he's blind and stupid.
  • 2

    One who is in charge of something.

    • Chat turned to whisper when the boss entered the conference room.
    • My boss complains that I'm always late to work.
  • 3

    One who is in charge of something.

    • They named him boss because he had good leadership skills.
  • 4

    One who is in charge of something.

    • He is the Republican boss in Kentucky.
  • 5

    One who is in charge of something.

    • Above all, she must not tell the boss of any little irregularity she may see.
  • 6

    One who is in charge of something.

    • There's no olive oil; will sunflower oil do? — I'll have to run that by the boss.
  • 7

    informalOne who is in charge of something.

    • Good to see you, boss.
  • 8

    video-gamesAn enemy, often at the end of a level, that is particularly challenging and must be beaten in order to progress.

    • Cuphead built a reputation for difficulty before release, but its boss battles are mostly about recognizing patterns than getting lucky against unfair bosses. Watching players ace their way through the game’s bosses is a spellbinding reminder that even tough games can be defeated easily with hard work.

bossverb詞源 1/bɒs/

  • 1

    To exercise authoritative control over; to tell (someone) what to do, often repeatedly.

    • By YOU last night’s journey was actually bossed / Without you, I’m certain, we’d all have been lost.
    • His sisters bossed him and spoiled him. All their lives he was to go on being their little brother, who could do no wrong, because he was the baby; [...]

bossadj詞源 1/bɒs/

  • 1

    slangOf excellent quality, first-rate.

    • That is a boss Zefron poster.
    • Boy 2: He's the neatest looking guy on TV! Boy 3: I'll say! Boy 1: He sure is! Boy 3: Boy, the way he talks is really boss!

bossnoun詞源 2/bɒs/

  • 1

    geographygeologynatural-sciencesA lump, protuberance, or swelling in an animal, person or object.

  • 2

    A lump, protuberance, or swelling in an animal, person or object.

  • 3

    engineeringmechanical-engineeringmechanicsA lump, protuberance, or swelling in an animal, person or object.

    • To the upper part of the frame a chain is attached, and if the screw shaft be drawn back out of the boss, the square frame may be hove up by carrying the chain to a winch—the sliding block maintaining the frame in the perpendicular position.
    • The seargent […] screwing a bipod into the threaded boss on the underside of the barrel would kill these animals […]
  • 4

    architectureA lump, protuberance, or swelling in an animal, person or object.

  • 5

    architectureA lump, protuberance, or swelling in an animal, person or object.

  • 6

    archerygovernmenthobbiesA target block, made of foam but historically made of hay bales, to which a target face is attached.

  • 7

    A wooden vessel for the mortar used in tiling or masonry, hung by a hook from the laths, or from the rounds of a ladder.

    • Boss, a short trough for holding water, when tiling the roof
  • 8

    A head or reservoir of water.

bossverb詞源 2/bɒs/

  • 1

    To decorate with bosses; to emboss.

bossnoun詞源 3/bɒs/

  • 1

    obsoleteA hassock or small seat, especially made from a bundle of straw.

    • All were waiting : uncle Charles, who sat far away in the shadow of the window, Dante and Mr Casey, who sat in the easy chairs at either side of the hearth, Stephen, seated on a chair between them, his feet resting on a toasting boss.

這個拼法也被記錄為下列字的變化形:

資料來源:英文維基詞典 English WiktionaryCC BY-SA 4.0)。 原文照列,未經改寫。