Dictionary
mas•ter
Pronunciation: (mas'tur, mä'stur), [key]—
n.
1. a person with the ability or power to use, control, or dispose of something:
a master of six languages; to be master of one's fate.
2. an owner of a slave, animal, etc.
3. an employer of workers or servants.
4. the male head of a household.
5. a person eminently skilled in something, as an occupation, art, or science:
the great masters of the Impressionist period.
6. a person whose teachings others accept or follow:
a Zen master.
7. Chiefly Brit.a male teacher or schoolmaster.
8. a worker qualified to teach apprentices and to carry on a trade independently.
9. a title given to a bridge or chess player who has won or placed in a certain number of officially recognized tournaments.
10. a person holding this title.
11. a person who commands a merchant ship; captain.
12. a victor or conqueror.
13. a presiding officer.
14. an officer of the court to whom some or all of the issues in a case may be referred for the purpose of taking testimony and making a report to the court.
15. the Master, Jesus Christ.
16. a person who has been awarded a master's degree.
17. a boy or young man (used chiefly as a term of address).
18. Also called
matrix. an original document, drawing, manuscript, etc., from which copies are made.
19. a device for controlling another device operating in a similar way. Cf.
slave (def. 5).
20. Recording.
a. matrix (def. 13).
b. a tape or disk from which duplicates may be made.
21. Also called
copy negative. Photog.a film, usually a negative, used primarily for making large quantities of prints.
22. See
master of foxhounds.
23. Archaic.a work of art produced by a master.
—
adj.
1. being master; exercising mastery; dominant.
2. chief or principal:
a master list.
3. directing or controlling:
a master switch.
4. of or pertaining to a master from which copies are made:
master film; master matrix; master record; master tape.
5. dominating or predominant:
a master play.
6. being a master of some occupation, art, etc.; eminently skilled:
a master diplomat; a master pianist.
7. being a master carrying on one's trade independently, rather than a worker employed by another:
a master plumber.
8. characteristic of a master; showing mastery.
—
v.t.
1. to make oneself master of; become an adept in:
to master a language.
2. to conquer or overcome:
to master one's pride.
3. to rule or direct as master:
to master a crew.
4. Recording. to produce a master tape, disk, or record of:
The producer recorded, mixed, and mastered the new album. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
