panjandrum

noun3

1. •
   An important, powerful or influential person; muckamuck.

   • The territory I had sold him was largely occupied by the Duke of Oklahoma, and, no doubt, by other potentates and panjandrums unknown to me. — 1976
2. •
   A self-important or pretentious person.

   • You can never imagine how delighted I was to find that instead of being the correct sort of big panjandrum you were supposed to be, you were really an old rip like papa. — 1910
3. •
   (historical) A massive, rocket-propelled, explosive-laden cart designed by the British military during World War II.

   • The Panjandrum lurched and overturned, the crash dislodging several of the rockets, which flew low over the beach in all directions […]. — 1967