the captain goes down with the ship
A leader is ultimately responsible for the penalities of a catastrophe, even if they result from external causes or the misactions of others under the leader's purview.
captain
UK /ˈkæp.tɪn/ US /ˈkæp.tən/
noun 8verb 2
Collocations
3ADJ.
brave, good, new, replaced, sick
The new captain led the team onto the field with confidence and determination.
VERB + CAPTAIN
channel, discovered, elected, hand, made
She was elected captain of the volleyball team last spring.
CAPTAIN + NOUN
america, baseball, cook, football, hindsight, marvel, sea, team
The baseball captain led his team to victory in the championship game last season.
Definitions
noun
1
A chief or leader.
For out of the shal come a captaine, whych shall govern my people israhel.
Stand up-stand up, Northumberland! / I bid you answer true, / If England's King has under his hand / A Captain as good as you?
2
The person lawfully in command of a ship or other vessel.
Merchants, common sailors, captains of vessels, skippers, […] naval officers of all countries, and the Governments of several states on the two continents, were deeply interested in the matter.
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.
"A fine man, that Dunwody, yonder," commented the young captain, as they parted, and as he turned to his prisoner. "We'll see him on in Washington some day. He is strengthening his forces now against Mr. Benton out there.[…]."
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,
verb
1
To act as captain
2
To exercise command of a ship, aircraft or sports team.
noun
1
The honorific of a captain, especially a ship's captain or a person with the military rank of captain.
These islands were discovered by Captain Cook.
[…] the governor, convinced of the need of a thorough exploration of the south coast, now ordered Grant to return and carefully survey the bay between Cape Otway and Cape Schank, besides the land which had been seen by Captains Black and Buyers, then to sail to King George’s Sound and, in returning, to explore the whole south coast to Wilson’s Promontory, going to the head of every bay or inlet as far as possible.
2
Forms a title for a superhero seen as embodying or possessing in high degree the qualities associated with the ensuing phrase
Captain America; Captain Marvel; Captain Hindsight
3
Forms a title or nickname for a person; typically a nonce coinage
Abbott has this alter ego, Captain Creepy. I mean, if he's not chatting away to the nation about his daughters' virginity, he's using anti-rape slogans to belittle the female Prime Minister.
Dean asks, 'How'm I s'posed to empty my bloody pockets with my hands tied, Captain Genius?'
Thesaurus
Idioms & Phrases
Example Bank
601
For out of the shal come a captaine, whych shall govern my people israhel.
Wiktionary02
Stand up-stand up, Northumberland! / I bid you answer true, / If England's King has under his hand / A Captain as good as you?
Wiktionary03
Merchants, common sailors, captains of vessels, skippers, […] naval officers of all countries, and the Governments of several states on the two continents, were deeply interested in the matter.
Wiktionary04
These islands were discovered by Captain Cook.
Wiktionary05
[…] the governor, convinced of the need of a thorough exploration of the south coast, now ordered Grant to return and carefully survey the bay between Cape Otway and Cape Schank, besides the land whic
Wiktionary06
Captain America; Captain Marvel; Captain Hindsight
WiktionaryUsage Notes
i Register
In some senses, captain is marked as humorous, ironic. Watch for register when choosing this word.
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