master
Other forms: masters; mastered; mastering
The original of something (like a recording) is the master. Masters are also experts in fields, from karate to painting.
Master actors are brilliant actors: they've mastered the skill of acting: maybe they have a Master of Fine Arts degree. It takes a long time to master anything. The master is the head of a school. People with servants, pets, and (during a horrible period in our history) slaves were called masters. A master key opens many doors, and when you master something, you are extremely good at it. An A+ on a test shows you mastered the material.
Definitions of master
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a person who has general authority over others
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types:
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feudal lord, seigneur, seignior
a man of rank in the ancient regime
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liege, liege lord
a feudal lord entitled to allegiance and service
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feudal lord, seigneur, seignior
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directs the work of others
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types:
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postmaster
the person in charge of a post office
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spymaster
someone who directs clandestine intelligence activities
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station agent, stationmaster
the person in charge of a railway station
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postmistress
a woman postmaster
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type of:
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employer
a person or firm that employs workers
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presiding officer of a school
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synonyms:
headmaster, schoolmaster
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types:
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housemaster
teacher in charge of a school boardinghouse
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type of:
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head, head teacher, principal, school principal
the educator who has executive authority for a school
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housemaster
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an officer who is licensed to command a merchant ship
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synonyms:
captain, sea captain, skipper
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examples:
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Captain Kidd
Scottish sea captain who was hired to protect British shipping in the Indian Ocean and then was accused of piracy and hanged (1645-1701)
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type of:
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officer, ship's officer
a person authorized to serve in a position of authority on a vessel
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Captain Kidd
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most important element
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have dominance or the power to defeat over“Her pain completely mastered her”“The methods can master the problems”
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synonyms:
dominate
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types:
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command
be in command of
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subject, subjugate
make subservient; force to submit or subdue
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general
command as a general
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officer
direct or command as an officer
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dragoon
subjugate by imposing troops
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enslave
make a slave of; bring into servitude
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an artist of consummate skill“a master of the violin”“one of the old masters”
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synonyms:
maestro
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types:
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old master
a great European painter prior to 19th century
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type of:
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artist, creative person
a person whose creative work shows sensitivity and imagination
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old master
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an authority qualified to teach apprentices
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synonyms:
professional
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types:
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past master
someone who was formerly a master
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type of:
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authority
an expert whose views are taken as definitive
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past master
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a combatant who is able to defeat rivals
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types:
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conqueror, vanquisher
someone who is victorious by force of arms
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subjugator
a conqueror who defeats and enslaves
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type of:
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battler, belligerent, combatant, fighter, scrapper
someone who fights (or is fighting)
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conqueror, vanquisher
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have a firm understanding or knowledge of; be on top of
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be or become completely proficient or skilled in“She mastered Japanese in less than two years”
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synonyms:
get the hang
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type of:
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know
know how to do or perform something
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know
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get on top of; deal with successfully
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someone who holds a master's degree from academic institution
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type of:
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bookman, scholar, scholarly person, student
a learned person (especially in the humanities); someone who by long study has gained mastery in one or more disciplines
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bookman, scholar, scholarly person, student
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key that secures entrance everywhere
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synonyms:
master key, passe-partout, passkey
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types:
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skeleton key
a passkey with much of the bit filed away so that it can open different locks
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type of:
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key
metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated
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skeleton key
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an original creation (i.e., an audio recording) from which copies can be made
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synonyms:
master copy, original
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type of:
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creation
an artifact that has been brought into existence by someone
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creation
Pronunciation
US
/ˈmæstər/
UK
/ˈmɑstə/
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