Definition of "captain" in Englisch

noun

1. A chief or leader.

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

   • 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.

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. (aviation) 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.

8. The leader of a group of workers.

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

9. The head boy of a school.

10. A maître d', a headwaiter.

    • 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. (Southern US) An honorific title given to a prominent person. See colonel.

verb

1. (intransitive) To act as captain

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