Commanded or controlled someone with authority, or in crafts, created a raised rounded protrusion on a surface.
From Middle Dutch 'baas' (master), which entered English around the 1600s; the verb form developed naturally from the noun 'boss' (one in charge).
The word 'boss' traveled from Dutch merchants to English dockworkers, and even today 'boss' is slang for 'excellent' in African American Vernacular English—showing how slang recycles old meanings.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.