Chief, adj. 1) principal: “the field's c. flower,” Ven. 8. “thy c. desire,” Sonn. 10, 8. Gentl. III, 1, 340. LLL IV, 1, 51. Mids. I, 2, 30. Merch. I, 1, 127. H4A III, 2, 109. H6A I, 4, 6. III, 1, 130. IV, 1, 146. H8 V, 3, 3. H8 V, 3, 3 Cor. I, 1, 8. Tit. V, 3, 122. Tim. IV, 2, 44. Mcb. II, 2, 40. III, 1, 11. Hml. I, 1, 106. IV, 4, 34. Ant. II, 6, 10. IV, 12, 27. Per. IV, 3, 5. “my lord c. justice,” H4B V, 2, 1. V, 3, 144. V, 5, 48. Used in the predicate: “every present sorrow seemeth c.” Ven. 970. “stands c. in power,” All's II, 1, 115. “I was the c. that raised him to the crown, and I'll be c. to bring him down again,” H6C III, 3, 262. “my friends, of whom he's c.” Cor. V, 2, 18. “that she hath thee, is of my wailing c.” Sonn. 42, 3. Corrupted passage: “are of a most select and generous c. in that,” Hml. I, 3, 74 (Ff. cheff). -- “both for myself and them, but, c. of all, your safety,” John IV, 2, 49. Superl. chiefest: “employ your --est thoughts to courtship,” Merch. II, 8, 43. John II, 39. H6A I, 1, 177. II, 2, 12. H6B III, 2, 324. H6C IV, 3, 11. IV, 5, 3. R3 V, 3, 300. Troil. I, 2, 292. Cor. II, 2, 88. V, 6, 150. Tit. V, 2, 125. Mcb. III, 5, 33. Hml. I, 2, 117. Hml. I, 2, 117.
In chief == principally: “but in c. for that her reputation was disvalued,” Meas. V, 220. “unto your grace do I in c. address the substance of my speech,” H4B IV, 1, 31.
2) excellent, most important: “the c. perfections of that lovely dame,” H6A V, 5, 12. “but, with the first of all your c. affairs, let me entreat,” H6C IV, 6, 58.
3) main, greatest part of: “all France with their c. assembled strength,” H6A I, 1, 139. “that his c. followers lodge in towns about him,” H6C IV, 3, 13.
Shakespeare Lexicon. Alexander Schmidt. Berlin. Georg Reimer. 1902.
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