As nouns the difference between chieftain and headling
is that chieftain is a leader of a clan or tribe while headling is (obsolete) an equal; a fellow; mate.
As an adverb headling is
headlong; precipitately.
chieftain
English
Noun
(
en noun)
A leader of a clan or tribe.
A leader of a group, e.g. a robbers' chieftain.
Synonyms
* (A very powerful person) chief, big gun, big shot, big wheel, bigwig, boss, employer, foreman, head, heid bummer, leader, mandarin, manager, mover and shaker, top banana, top dog, tycoon
headling
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) hedling, hevedling, from (etyl) .
Noun
(
en noun)
(obsolete) An equal; a fellow; mate.
(obsolete) A chieftain.
Etymology 2
From (etyl) hedling, heedling, .
Alternative forms
* (l)
