What it means
Means acting like you’re the big boss and everyone else should bow down, usually after a tiny whiff of authority, cash, or status. You’ll hear it most as lording it over someone, rubbing your new power in their face. It’s not confidence, it’s smug, show-off behaviour with a proper superiority complex. Give it a week and they’re absolutely insufferable too.
Usage examples
"She got a staff discount and now she’s lording it over us at the pub, flashing her badge like she’s the manager."
"He got made shift supervisor and now he's lording it, timing our breaks with his phone like we're on the clock at NASA."
"One good exam result and she was lording it over the whole class, as if she'd cured something."
"He’s been lording it over everyone since they gave him the office keys, proper tiny-king energy."
"Won a bit of bonus money and now she’s lording it at brunch, talking to us like we’re her unpaid staff."
Where it comes from
It comes straight from lord, the old title for a nobleman. English has used lord it and especially lord it over since early modern times for someone swanning about, acting high and mighty, and treating other people like underlings. Same image, just carried neatly into everyday modern chat.
