master

[[t]mɑ͟ːstə(r), mæ̱s-[/t]]

♦♦

masters, mastering, mastered

1) N-COUNT A servant's master is the man that he or she works for.

My master ordered me not to deliver the message except in private...

In 1777 several northern states encouraged white masters to free their slaves for military service.

2) N-COUNT: usu poss N A dog's master is the man or boy who owns it.

The dog yelped excitedly when his master opened a desk drawer and produced his leash.

3) N-COUNT: usu N of/at/in n/-ing If you say that someone is a master of a particular activity, you mean that they are extremely skilled at it.

→ See also past master

She was a master of the English language...

He is a master at blocking progress...

They appear masters in the art of making regulations work their way.

ADJ: ADJ n

Master is also an adjective.

...a master craftsman. ...a master criminal.

4) N-UNCOUNT: also N in pl, usu N of n If you are master of a situation, you have complete control over it.

Jackson remained calm and always master of his passions...

He was under no illusions as to who was master in his house.

5) VERB If you master something, you learn how to do it properly or you succeed in understanding it completely.

[V n] Duff soon mastered the skills of radio production...

[V n] Students are expected to master a second language.

6) VERB If you master a difficult situation, you succeed in controlling it.

[V n] When you have mastered one situation you have to go on to the next...

[V n] His genius alone has mastered every crisis.

7) N-COUNT: usu n N A master is a male teacher. [BRIT]

→ See also , housemaster

Mr Palmer was a retired maths master.

8) N-COUNT A famous male painter of the past is often called a master.

→ See also old master

...a portrait by the Dutch master, Vincent Van Gogh.

9) ADJ: ADJ n A master copy of something such as a film or a tape recording is an original copy that can be used to produce other copies.

Keep one as a master copy for your own reference and circulate the others.

10) N-COUNT: usu with poss The master of a ship that carries passengers or goods is its captain.

...the Royal Pacific's master.

11) N-SING A master's degree can be referred to as a master's.

I've a master's in economics.

12) N-COUNT: oft the N; N-VOC Master is sometimes used by the followers of a male religious teacher or leader as a way of referring to him or addressing him.

She believed that she had been selected by the Master to reveal forgotten wisdom.

13) N-TITLE In the past, Master was used before a boy's name as a polite way of referring to him or addressing him. Nowadays, Master can be written before a boy's name when addressing a letter to him. [OLD-FASHIONED]

Nice to see you, Master Simon.

14) PHRASE: V and N inflect If you say that you are your own master, you mean that your decisions are not controlled by other people and you are free to do what you want.

It was no place for a man who liked to be his own master.