(1). Your top priority or, more often, your only choice.
“I told the IT guys to think of me as their only child when it comes to allocating resources this year.”
(2). The prima donna on your staff who you tend to give all of the plum assignments to just so they will stop bothering you about how they have no “career path”.
“Bob knows I’m an only child when it comes to assigning the top accounts.”
(1). A proposal or suggestion for something that your boss is never, ever going to agree to.
“Sorry, Ted. Adding another body in Operations is a non-starter. If this system enhancement is going to move forward, you guys are going to need to allocate your resources a little better.”