quarterback
n. countablen. the player on an American football team who leads the attack. This person decides which plays to use and throws the ball to other players.
n. the offensive back in American football who directs the team's plays and typically handles the ball at the start of each play.
The quarterback throws a long pass to the end zone.
After the star quarterback suffered a knee injury, the team struggled to coordinate their offensive strategy for the rest of the season.
A successful quarterback must possess not only physical arm strength but also the mental acuity to read complex defensive formations in a matter of seconds.
From quarter + back, in reference to the position in front of the halfback position.
Often used as a verb in a figurative sense to mean leading or directing a project.