occupy leading position; be the acknowledged leader
Meanings
2 senses · 6 examplesverb
to occupy a leading position in a certain field; to be the acknowledged leader
formalOriginally referred to the leader of an alliance in ancient times; now commonly used in academic, business, and political contexts to denote dominance or leadership in a specific domain.
This company occupies the leading position in the field of artificial intelligence.
This professor has been the acknowledged leader in classical literary studies for decades.
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That country dominates the semiconductor industry, controlling the global supply chain.
noun
leader of an alliance; the prime mover in an ancient covenant ceremony
archaicRefers specifically to the ancient ritual where vassals would taste the blood of a sacrificial animal, with the alliance leader cutting the cow's ear to collect blood. This is the original, historical meaning of the term.
During the Spring and Autumn period, Duke Huan of Qi acted as the alliance leader and became the hegemon of the Central Plains.
When the vassals gathered for an alliance, the most powerful state would serve as the leader.
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In ancient alliance ceremonies, the leader was responsible for cutting the cow's ear to collect blood.