box Hear it!

box¹ Definition

box (bäks)

noun

  1. any of various kinds of containers, usually rectangular and lidded, made of cardboard, wood, or other stiff material; case; carton
  2. the contents or capacity of a box
  3. Chiefly Brit. a gift, esp. a Christmas present, in a box

  4. Etymology: < the toolbox under the seat

    the driver's seat on a coach
  5. a boxlike thing, opening, or compartment
  6. a small, enclosed group of seats, as in a theater, stadium, etc.
  7. a small booth or shelter for persons on outdoor duty a sentry box
  8. a small country house used by sportsmen a grouse box
  9. box stall
  10. a space or section for a certain person or group a press box, jury box
    1. a short newspaper article or advertisement enclosed in borders
    2. any of the enclosed sets of lines and spaces on a printed form
  12. ☆ Chiefly Brit., Informal television or a television set: used with the
  13. Slang the vulva or vagina: somewhat vulgar
  14. ☆ Baseball any of certain designated areas outlined on the playing field for the batter, catcher, and first-base and third-base coaches
  15. Mech. a protective casing for a part a journal box

Etymology: ME & OE, a container, box < VL buxis < L buxus, boxwood < Gr pyxos

transitive verb

  1. to provide with a box
  2. to put into a box, etc., as for storage or shipment
  3. to boxhaul

adjective

  1. shaped or made like a box
  2. packaged in a box

Related Forms:

box¹ Idioms

box in

  1. box up (sense )
  2. to block and thus prevent (another racer) from getting ahead

box out

Basketball to block (an opponent) so as to prevent that player from getting a rebound

box the compass

  1. to name the thirty-two points of the compass in order: compasses were kept in boxes
  2. to make a complete circuit, returning to the starting point

box up

  1. to keep in; surround or confine
  2. ☆ to encase with sheathing boards, or laths

in a box

Informal in difficulty or a dilemma

outside (of) the box

Informal in a fresh, inventive, unconventional way
box² Definition

box (bäks)

noun

a blow struck with the hand or fist, esp. on the ear or the side of the head

Etymology: ME < ?

transitive verb

  1. to strike with such a blow
  2. to engage in a boxing match with

intransitive verb

to fight with the fists; engage in boxing
box³ Definition

box (bäks)

noun

  1. any of a genus (Buxus) of evergreen shrubs or small trees of the box family with small, leathery leaves: some species are used as hedge plants or shaped as garden ornaments
  2. boxwood (sense )

Etymology: ME & OE < L buxus < Gr pyxos

adjective

designating a family (Buxaceae, order Euphorbiales) of dicotyledonous evergreen shrubs and trees, including pachysandra
box Synonyms

box

n.

carton, crate, case, receptacle; see case 7.

in a box*

in difficulty, in a predicament, at an impasse, in a fix*; see in trouble 1 at trouble.

box Synonyms

box

v.

  1. To enclose in a box

    pack, confine, package, crate; see pack 2, wrap 2.

  2. To fight for sport

    spar, punch, slug, hit, cuff, fight, cross gloves*, mix punches*, scrap*, swap punches*, duke*.

box Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • tick: The last thing they want is to tick a box.
  • bound: Since this is not a geometric operation, the bounding box does not change.
  • check: Check the box next to ' Use Windows colors ' , allowing you access to change the colors yourself.
  • nest: Guy Merchant, a pigeon expert, has been placing new nesting boxes in the town.

Preposition: at

  • bottom: Note the 2 tick boxes at the bottom of the panel, under the heading " Delivery " .

Adjective modifier

  • set-top: Will the Amiga be turned into a set-top box?
  • wooden: There are many different types of boxes including beautiful sterling silver boxes, a traditional carved wooden box or pretty cardboard boxes.
  • black: The second black box was recovered the next day despite being buried in sediment without any traces being visible on the seabed.
  • red: The bottom row above the red boxes contains a key for every file in the directory: these are the leaf nodes.
  • pop-up: A pop-up selection box is displayed showing all possible matching names.
  • rectangular: Noticed some one carrying a small rectangular box, strapped in his shoulder.

Modifies a noun

  • office: Box office: the place where you buy tickets for the theater or cinema.
  • pew: The interior had oak box pews, the best of which were subsequently reused at Llanerch Panna Hall.

Noun used with modifier

  • dialog: In the Options dialog box, click the File Type tab.
  • dialog: You'll then see a dialog box that allows you to select the items you want in Details view.
  • cardboard: The cardboard boxes can be recycled or added to your compost heap.
  • ballot: In the end the BNP is only going to be defeated at the ballot box, not by banning them.
  • tick: Note the 2 tick boxes at the bottom of the panel, under the heading " Delivery " .
  • search: You can also use the search box provided, by simply typing in the product you are looking for.

Preposition: of

  • chocolate: The prize for the evening was a box of chocolates, which Mary promptly handed out to everyone.
box Quotes

Sir Walter, being strangely surprised and put out of his countenance at so great a table, gives his son a damned blow over the face.Hisson, asrude as he was, would not strike his father, but strikes over the face the gentleman that sat next to him and said 'Box about: 'twill come to my father anon.'

—Aubrey,John

Ah! Vanitas Vanitatum! Which of us is happy in this world? Which of us has his desire? or, having it, is satisfied?öCome, children, let us shut up the box and the puppets, for our play is played out.

—Thackeray,William Makepeace

Old Hodge stays not his hand, but whips to kennel The renegade.God's peace betide the souls Of the pure in heart. But in the box that fennel Grows around, are two red eyes that stare like coals.

—Ransom,John Crowe

His father gave him a box of truisms Shaped like a coffin, then his father died; 538 The truisms remained on the mantelpiece.

—MacNeice, (Frederick) Louis

Story is just just deserts†man in the crucible like jack in the box.

—Elkin, Stanley Lawrence

You think this cruel? take it for a rule, No creature smarts so little as a fool. Let peals of laughter,Codrus! round thee break, Thou unconcerned canst hear the mighty crack. Pit, box, and gallery in convulsions hurled, Thou stand'st unshook amidst a bursting world.

—Pope, Alexander

Nothing has conduced more to shake that decent respect for the living symbol of thestatethat goes by the name of royalty than the ever-recurring rattle of the money box.

—Labouche'  re, Henry Du Pre¤

But time is tied to the wrist or kept in a box, ticking with impatience.

—Raine, Craig Anthony