king of all one surveys
English
[edit]Alternative forms
[edit]Noun
[edit]king of all one surveys (usually uncountable, plural kings of all they survey)
- (idiomatic) Possessing governing authority over a range of territory; having decisive control or oversight over all major matters within one's ambit of influence; having a satisfying position of respected leadership or comfortable prestige.
- 1819, Washington Irving, “Stratford-on-Avon”, in The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon:
- Let the world without go as it may, let kingdoms rise or fall, so long as he has the wherewithal to pay his bill he is, for the time being, the very monarch of all he surveys.
- 1882, H. Rider Haggard, chapter 1, in Cetywayo and his White Neighbours:
- None of the refinements of civilisation enter into the life of an ordinary Boer. […] His happiness is to live alone in the great wilderness, with his children, his men-servants and his maid-servants, his flocks and his herds, the monarch of all he surveys.
- 1990, Joyce Thies, King of the Mountain, →ISBN, page 83:
- "If a man is king of all he surveys, he'd best make sure he has a wide enough view," Big Will had joked to his ten-year-old son while leaning back in his leather chair and puffing on his favorite brand of Havana cigar.
- 2002 October 4, Dave Anderson, “Sports of The Times: Empty Seats Don't Bother Braves' Bats”, in New York Times, retrieved 9 January 2020:
- Here again are the Atlanta Braves, kings of all they survey in whatever division they've been in for 11 seasons, swaying to the chant of the tomahawk chop in October, but here again are all those empty blue seats on the far slopes of Turner Field.
- 2003 January 20, Simon Hattenstone, “BBC: Simon Hatterstone talks to Huw Edwards”, in Guardian, UK, retrieved 9 January 2020:
- Huw Edwards stands at the top of the circular staircase in the BBC newsroom, king of all he surveys.
- 2009 July 20, Garth Woolsey, “Golden oldie Tom Watson offers one for the aged”, in The Star, Canada, retrieved 9 January 2020:
- He strides around like he's the king of all he surveys through those eyes of his, framed by (okay) wrinkles.