commander in chief
- Also Commander in Chief. the supreme commander of the armed forces of a nation or, sometimes, of several allied nations: The president is the Commander in Chief of the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force.
- an officer in command of a particular portion of an armed force who has been given this title by specific authorization.
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Origin of commander in chief
First recorded in 1635–45
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for commander in chief
Contemporary Examples
Philip Breedlove, NATO commander-in-chief, says this represents a shift, "from engagement to preparedness."
I am also aware, however, that the average Supreme Court justice or federal judge serves far longer than the Commander-in-Chief.
Though the commander-in-chief should delegate as much as possible, wartime relationships matter.
For this raid, Mavrokordato anointed him, rather ridiculously, Archistrategos or commander-in-chief of Western Greece.
Poet and Rake, Lord Byron Was Also an Interventionist With Brains and SavvyMichael Weiss
February 16, 2014
He was trying—forgive this Gergenism—to pass the commander-in-chief test to centrist voters.
Historical Examples
This squadron, which was nearest the Commander-in-Chief, obeyed and hauled off.
The Life of Horatio Lord NelsonRobert Southey
Now he was eager to get back to New York and tell the commander-in-chief the news.
The Dare Boys of 1776Stephen Angus Cox
Dick took the seat and then looked at the commander-in-chief inquiringly.
The Dare Boys of 1776Stephen Angus Cox
Will you show me to the presence of the commander-in-chief, sir?
The Dare Boys of 1776Stephen Angus Cox
But the Commander-in-Chief must not tarry to bandy compliments.
Vivian GreyEarl of Beaconsfield, Benjamin Disraeli
commander in chief
- the officer holding supreme command of the forces in an area or operation
- the officer holding command of a major subdivision of one military service
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
commander in chief
The role of the United States president as highest ranking officer in the armed forces. The Constitution provides this power, but, through the system of checks and balances, gives Congress the authority to declare war. During periods of war, presidents such as Franklin D. Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson, George H. W. Bush, William Jefferson Clinton, and George W. Bush have taken active roles as commander in chief.
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The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.