chief
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Related to chief: Chief Joseph
(there are) too many chiefs and not enough Indians
proverb There are too many people trying to manage or organize something, and not enough people willing to actually do the work. One of many expressions often considered offensive for making reference to Native American stereotypes or tropes. Everyone wants to be the brains of this project, but there are too many chiefs and not enough Indians!
be the chief cook and bottle washer
To be involved in many aspects of a particular situation. Because so many people have left our department recently, I'm the chief cook and bottle washer, doing every little task that comes up. The oldest child is always the chief cook and bottle washer, huh? Looking after younger siblings, doing more chores than them—it's a real pain! I'm just an intern, but today I'm the chief cook and bottle washer because everyone else has to go to a training seminar.
big white chief
An important, successful, or influential person. The phrase is usually used humorously, but is potentially offensive due to its likely origin as a pseudo-Native American term. Jacob thinks he's a big white chief now that he's been promoted to assistant manager. I'm the big white chief around here, so you have to do what I say.
chief cook and bottle washer
One who is involved in many aspects of a particular situation. Because so many people have left our department recently, I'm the chief cook and bottle washer, doing every little task that comes up. The oldest child is always the chief cook and bottle washer, huh? Looking after younger siblings, doing more chores than them—it's a real pain! I'm just an intern, but today I'm the chief cook and bottle washer because everyone else has to go to a training seminar.
head cook and bottle washer
One who is involved in many aspects of a particular situation. Because so many people have left our department recently, I'm the head cook and bottle washer, doing every little task that comes up. The oldest child is always the head cook and bottle washer, huh? Looking after younger siblings, doing more chores than them—it's a real pain! I'm just an intern, but today I'm the head cook and bottle washer because everyone else has to go to a training seminar.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
chief cook and bottle washer
Fig. the person in charge of practically everything (such as in a very small business). I'm the chief cook and bottle washer around here. I do everything.
Too many chiefs and not enough Indians.
Prov. Too many people want to be the leader, and not enough people are willing to follow to do the detail work. Everyone on that committee wants to be in charge. Too many chiefs and not enough Indians. We'll never finish this project if everyone keeps trying to give orders. There are too many chiefs and not enough Indians.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
chief cook and bottlewasher
A person in charge of numerous duties, both vital and trivial, as in We have no secretaries or clerks; the department head is chief cook and bottlewasher and does it all . [Slang; c. 1840]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
too many chiefs and not enough Indians
OFFENSIVE ortoo many chiefs
If there are too many chiefs or too many chiefs and not enough Indians in an organization, there are too many people in charge and not enough people doing the work. This bank has 21 executive directors. No surprise, then, that some insiders say there are too many chiefs.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
big white chief
a person in authority. humorousThis expression supposedly represents Native American speech, and also occurs as great white chief .
1971 Roger Busby Deadlock You'd think he was the bloody big white chief instead of an OB technician.
chief cook and bottle-washer
a person who performs a variety of important but routine tasks. informaltoo many chiefs and not enough Indians
used to describe a situation where there are too many people giving orders and not enough people to carry them out.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
there are too many ˌchiefs and not enough ˈIndians
(British English, informal) used to describe a situation in which there are too many people telling other people what to do, and not enough people to do the workFarlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
chief
n. the person in charge. (Also a term of address.) You got a couple of clams to pay the toll with, chief?
head cook and bottle washer
and chief cook and bottle washer n. someone who is in charge of trivial things as well as the important things. Ten years I’m here, and I’m just the head cook and bottle washer. The chief cook and bottle washer ends up doing everything that has to be done.
chief cook and bottle washer
verbMcGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
chief cook and bottle washer
Individual who has most of the many and quite varied responsibilities in an enterprise. This slangy Americanism originated in the first half of the 1800s. Alluding to kitchen duties, the term is used far more broadly, as in “Mr. Miller described himself as the ‘president, chief cook and bottle washer’ of his company” (New York Times, Nov. 7, 1992).
too many chiefs and not enough Indians
Too many bosses and not enough workers. This expression, also stated more hyperbolically as all chiefs and no Indians, originated in the first half of the 1900s. Although the term refers to native American tribal organization, it is not considered offensive.
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer