A Quick and Simple Dictionary

captain

1. Noun.  A chief or leader.
2. Noun.  The person lawfully in command of a ship or other vessel.
3. Noun.  An army officer with a rank between the most senior grade of lieutenant and major.
4. Noun.  A naval officer with a rank between commander and commodore.
5. Noun.  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 an Army, Marine Corps, or Air Force colonel.
6. Noun.  One of the athletes on a sports team who designated to make decisions, and is allowed to speak for his team with a referee or official.
7. Noun.  The leader of a group of workers.
8. Noun.  A maître d'.
9. Noun.  (context, southern) An honorific title given to a prominent person. See ''colonel''.
10. Verb.  (intransitive) To act as captain.
11. Verb.  (transitive) To exercise command of a ship, aircraft or sports team.