Boss

a person who employs or superintends workers; manager.
a politician who controls the party organization, as in a particular district.
a person who makes decisions, exercises authority, dominates, etc.:
My grandfather was the boss in his family.
to be master of or over; manage; direct; control.
to order about, especially in an arrogant manner.
to be boss.
to be too domineering and authoritative.
chief; master.
Slang. first-rate.
Botany, Zoology. a protuberance or roundish excrescence on the body or on some organ of an animal or plant.
Geology. a knoblike mass of rock, especially an outcrop of igneous or metamorphic rock.
an ornamental protuberance of metal, ivory, etc.; stud.
Architecture.

an ornamental, knoblike projection, as a carved keystone at the intersection of ogives.
a stone roughly formed and set in place for later carving.

Bookbinding. one of several pieces of brass or other metal inset into the cover of a book to protect the corners or edges or for decoration.
Machinery. a small projection on a casting or forging.
Nautical. a projecting part in a ship’s hull, or in one frame of a hull, fitting around a propeller shaft.
to ornament with bosses.
to emboss.
(in plumbing) to hammer (sheet metal, as lead) to conform to an irregular surface.
a familiar name for a calf or cow.
hollow; empty.
Contemporary Examples

What If Barney Loses? Samuel P. Jacobs October 24, 2010
Ted Cruz’s Press Guy Says Boss Is Not a Hypocrite Michael Tomasky September 12, 2013
Newt Gingrich Could Be a Contender in 2012 Howard Kurtz May 1, 2011
Robert Gibbs Resigns: Behind the White House Press Secretary’s Exit Howard Kurtz January 4, 2011
Democrats, GOP Draw Lines in Eric Holder ‘Fast and Furious’ Contempt Battle Patricia Murphy, Aram Roston June 20, 2012

Historical Examples

The Man Next Door Emerson Hough
The Harbor Ernest Poole
Randy of the River Horatio Alger Jr.
Weak on Square Roots Russell Burton
Ruth Fielding on the St. Lawrence Alice B. Emerson

noun
a person in charge of or employing others
(mainly US) a professional politician who controls a party machine or political organization, often using devious or illegal methods
verb
to employ, supervise, or be in charge of
usually foll by around or about. to be domineering or overbearing towards (others)
adjective
(slang) excellent; fine: a boss hand at carpentry, that’s boss!
noun
a knob, stud, or other circular rounded protuberance, esp an ornamental one on a vault, a ceiling, or a shield
(biology) any of various protuberances or swellings in plants and animals

an area of increased thickness, usually cylindrical, that strengthens or provides room for a locating device on a shaft, hub of a wheel, etc
a similar projection around a hole in a casting or fabricated component

an exposed rounded mass of igneous or metamorphic rock, esp the uppermost part of an underlying batholith
verb (transitive)
to ornament with bosses; emboss
noun (pl) bosses, bossies
a calf or cow
noun acronym (formerly)
Bureau of State Security; a branch of the South African security police
n.
v.

The chief; the person in charge (late 1500s+)
The head of a political machine (1860s+)

Bridgport Operating System Software. A derivative of the ISO 1054 numerical machine control language for milling, etc.