power in the land

power in the land

1. (dated) Someone or something of great influence and status in a region.
   • 1937, Franklin Henry Hooper, Walter Yust, The Encyclopædia britannica - Volume 10, page 92:

     The states of Gelderland first became a considerable power in the land during the reign of Arnold of Egmont (1423-73).

   • 1983, Jack Goody, The Development of the Family and Marriage in Europe, page 155:

     But these features, sometimes seen as definitive of the 'Western family' (and sometimes only of the English variety), are surely intrinsic to the whole process whereby the Church established its position as a power in the land, a spiritual power certainly, but also a worldly one, the owner of property, the largest landowner, a position it obtained by gaining control of the system of marriage, fit and inheritance.

   • 2012, Angus Calder, The People's War: Britain 1939-1945, page 88:

     Churchill as First Lord had been a power in the land; Alexander was an amiable and efficient nonentity.

   • 2015, Manly Wade Wellman, Giant In Gray: A Biography Of Wade Hampton Of South Carolina:

     After all, once he had been a power in the land. A whole generation had loved and admired him for his intellect, generosity and grace.

   • 2017, Theodore Strong Van Dyke, The City And County Of San Diego, page 2:

     In this he was aided by the sheepman, who had for some time been a power in the land and who wanted all the public grazing for himself.

• powers that be

• “a power in the land” in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman.