Adjacent Words

Executive definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

EXEC'UTIVE, a. egzec'utive. Having the quality of executing or performing; as executive power or authority; an executive officer. Hence, in government, executive is used in distinction from legislative and judicial. The body that deliberates and enacts laws, is legislative; the body that judges, or applies the laws to particular cases, is judicial; the body or person who carries the laws into effect, or superintends the enforcement of them, is executive.
It is of the nature of war to increase the executive, at the expense of the legislative authority.
EXEC'UTIVE, n. The officer, whether king, president or other chief magistrate, who superintends the execution of the laws; the person who administers the government; executive power or authority in government.
Men most desirous of places in the executive gift, will not expect to be gratified, except by their support of the executive.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: having the function of carrying out plans or orders etc.; "the executive branch" n
1: a person responsible for the administration of a business [syn: executive, executive director]
2: persons who administer the law
3: someone who manages a government agency or department [syn: administrator, executive]

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Date: 1649 1. a. of or relating to the execution of the laws and the conduct of public and national affairs b. belonging to the branch of government that is charged with such powers as diplomatic representation, superintendence of the execution of the laws, and appointment of officials and that usually has some power over legislation (as through veto) — compare judicial, legislative 2. a. designed for or relating to execution or carrying into effect <executive board> b. having administrative or managerial responsibility <executive director> 3. of or relating to an executive <the executive offices> II. noun Date: 1774 1. the executive branch of a government; also the person or persons who constitute the executive magistracy of a state 2. a directing or controlling office of an organization 3. one that exercises administrative or managerial control

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & adj. --n. 1 a person or body with managerial or administrative responsibility in a business organization etc.; a senior businessman. 2 a branch of a government or organization concerned with executing laws, agreements, etc., or with other administration or management. --adj. 1 concerned with executing laws, agreements, etc., or with other administration or management. 2 relating to or having the function of executing. Phrases and idioms: executive session US a usu. private meeting of a legislative body for executive business. Derivatives: executively adv. Etymology: med.L executivus (as EXECUTE)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Executive Ex*ec"u*tive, n. An impersonal title of the chief magistrate or officer who administers the government, whether king, president, or governor; the governing person or body.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Executive Ex*ec"u*tive, a. [Cf.F. ex['e]cutif.] Designed or fitted for execution, or carrying into effect; as, executive talent; qualifying for, concerned with, or pertaining to, the execution of the laws or the conduct of affairs; as, executive power or authority; executive duties, officer, department, etc. Note: In government, executive is distinguished from legislative and judicial; legislative being applied to the organ or organs of government which make the laws; judicial, to that which interprets and applies the laws; executive, to that which carries them into effect or secures their due performance.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(executives) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. An executive is someone who is employed by a business at a senior level. Executives decide what the business should do, and ensure that it is done. ...an advertising executive. ...Her husband is a senior bank executive. N-COUNT 2. The executive sections and tasks of an organization are concerned with the making of decisions and with ensuring that decisions are carried out. A successful job search needs to be as well organised as any other executive task... I don't envisage I will take an executive role, but rather become a consultant on merchandise and marketing. ADJ: ADJ n 3. Executive goods are expensive goods designed or intended for executives and other people at a similar social or economic level. ...an executive briefcase. ...executive cars. ADJ: ADJ n 4. The executive committee or board of an organization is a committee within that organization which has the authority to make decisions and ensures that these decisions are carried out. He sits on the executive committee that manages Lloyds... ...the executive of the National Union of Students. N-SING: the N, N n 5. The executive is the part of the government of a country that is concerned with carrying out decisions or orders, as opposed to the part that makes laws or the part that deals with criminals. The government, the executive and the judiciary are supposed to be separate... The matter should be resolved by the executive branch of government. N-SING: the N, N n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. a. Executory, charged with execution or carrying into effect. II. n. 1. Chief magistrate, administrative head, head of government, head of affairs, head of the nation. 2. Administration, administrative body, body charged with administration or the execution of the laws.

Moby Thesaurus

administrating, administration, administrative, administrator, archon, big cheese, board, board of directors, board of regents, board of trustees, boss, bureaucratic, businessman, businesswoman, cabinet, cadre, captain, castellan, chancellor, chatelain, chatelaine, chief executive, chief executive officer, commandant, commander, council, dean, directing, director, directorate, directorship, directory, entrepreneur, exec, executive arm, executive committee, executive director, executive hierarchy, executive officer, executive secretary, foreman, governing, governing board, governing body, government, governmental, governor, gubernatorial, head, infrastructure, intendant, interlocking directorate, kingpin, leader, leadership, magistrate, management, manager, managerial, managing, managing director, master, ministerial, number one, officer, official, officiating, overseer, prefect, president, presiding, prexy, principal, provost, regulatory, ruler, secretary, steering committee, superintendent, supervision, supervisor, supervisory, the administration, the brass, the executive, the people upstairs, top brass, top dog, treasurer, vice-chancellor, vice-president, warden