baron

Everyday

1. A nobleman of the lowest rank in Britain and some other countries; in the Middle Ages a lord who held land from the king. tree →
2. A very rich and powerful businessman in one industry: an oil baron, a media baron. tree →
3. A powerful criminal boss: a drug baron. tree →

In the lessons

In history lessons barons were powerful lords; in 1215 English barons made King John agree to Magna Carta. In the news the word means a powerful person who controls a big business, sometimes in a bad way. Phrases: «the barons and the king», «drug baron», «press baron».

Examples

• The barons forced King John to sign Magna Carta. tree →
• A baron owned the castle and the lands around it. tree →
• He became a baron and sat in the House of Lords. tree →
• The newspaper baron owned ten papers. tree →
• The police caught a drug baron at the port. tree →
• The Red Baron was a famous German pilot in the First World War. tree →
• When you have spent it you must go and take another baron’s castle.’ tree →

Note

Woman: baroness. Do not confuse with «barren» (no plants or no fruit) — they sound the same. In the UK a baron is called «Lord Smith», not «Baron Smith», in speech.