Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense boxes, present participle boxing, past tense, past participle boxed
1. countable noun
A box is a square or rectangular container with hard or stiff sides. Boxes often have lids.
He reached into the cardboard box beside him.
They sat on wooden boxes.
...the box of tissues on her desk.
Synonyms: container, case, chest, trunk More Synonyms of box
A boxof something is an amount of it contained in a box.
She ate two boxes of liqueurs. [+ of]
2. countable noun
A box is a square or rectangle that is printed or drawn on a piece of paper, a road, or on some other surface.
3. singular noun
In football, the box is the penalty area of the field.
He scored from the penalty spot after being brought down in the box.
4. countable noun
A box is a small separate area in a theatre or at a sports ground or stadium, where a small number of people can sit to watch the performance or game.
5. singular noun
Television is sometimes referred to as the box.
[British, informal]
Do you watch it live at all or do you watch it on the box?
6. countable noun
Box is used before a number as a postal address by organizations that receive a lot of mail.
...Country Crafts, Box 111, Landisville.
7. uncountable noun [oft NOUN noun]
Box is a small evergreen tree with dark leaves which is often used to form hedges.
...box hedges.
8. verb
To box means to fight someone according to the rules of boxing.
At school I boxed and played rugby. [VERB]
The two fighters had previously boxed a 12-round match. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: fight, spar, exchange blows, prizefight More Synonyms of box
9. See also boxed, boxing, black box, chocolate-box, lunch box, phone box, postbox, post office box, sentry box, signal box, telephone box
10. to box someone's ears
Phrasal verbs:
See box in
More Synonyms of box
box in British English1
(bɒks)
noun
1.
a receptacle or container made of wood, cardboard, etc, usually rectangular and having a removable or hinged lid
2. Also called: boxful
the contents of such a receptacle or the amount it can contain
he ate a whole box of chocolates
3.
any of various containers for a specific purpose
a money box
letter box
4. (often in combination)
any of various small cubicles, kiosks, or shelters
a sentry box
a signal box on a railway
5.
a separate compartment in a public place for a small group of people, as in a theatre or certain restaurants
6.
an enclosure within a courtroom
jury box, witness box
7.
a compartment for a horse in a stable or a vehicle
loosebox, horsebox
8. British
a small country house occupied by sportspeople when following a field sport, esp shooting
9.
a.
a protective housing for machinery or mechanical parts
b.
the contents of such a box
c.
(in combination)
a gearbox
10.
a shaped device of light tough material worn by sportsmen to protect the genitals, esp in cricket
11.
a section of printed matter on a page, enclosed by lines, a border, or white space
12.
a central agency to which mail is addressed and from which it is collected or redistributed
a post-office box
to reply to a box number in a newspaper advertisement
13.
the central part of a computer or the casing enclosing it
14. short for penalty box
15. baseball
either of the designated areas in which the batter may stand
16.
the raised seat on which the driver sits in a horse-drawn coach
17. New Zealand
a wheeled container for transporting coal in a mine
18. Australian and New Zealand
an accidental mixing of herds or flocks
19.
a hole cut into the base of a tree to collect the sap
20. short for Christmas box
21.
a device for dividing water into two or more ditches in an irrigation system
22. an informal name for a coffin
23. vulgar, slang
the female genitals
24. be a box of birds
25. the box
26. think outside the box
27. tick all the boxes
28. out of the box
verb
29. (transitive)
to put into a box
30. (tr; usually foll by in or up)
to prevent from moving freely; confine
31. (transitive; foll byin) printing
to enclose (text) within a ruled frame
32. (transitive)
to make a cut in the base of (a tree) in order to collect the sap
33. (transitive) Australian and New Zealand
to mix (flocks or herds) accidentally
34. (transitive; sometimes foll byup) New Zealand
to confuse
I am all boxed up
35. nautical short for boxhaul
36. box the compass
Derived forms
boxlike (ˈboxˌlike)
adjective
Word origin
Old English box, from Latin buxus from Greek puxosbox3
box in British English2
(bɒks)
verb
1. (transitive)
to fight (an opponent) in a boxing match
2. (intransitive)
to engage in boxing
3. (transitive)
to hit (a person) with the fist; punch or cuff
4. box clever
noun
5.
a punch with the fist, esp on the ear
Word origin
C14: of uncertain origin; perhaps related to Dutch boken to shunt, push into position
box in British English3
(bɒks)
noun
1.
a dense slow-growing evergreen tree or shrub of the genus Buxus, esp B. sempervirens, which has small shiny leaves and is used for hedges, borders, and garden mazes: family Buxaceae
2.
the wood of this tree
boxwood (sense 1)
3.
any of several trees the timber or foliage of which resembles this tree, esp various species of Eucalyptus with rough bark
Word origin
Old English, from Latin buxus
box in American English1
(bɑks)
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 British
a gift, esp. a Christmas present, in a box
4.
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
11.
a.
a short newspaper article or advertisement enclosed in borders
b.
any of the enclosed sets of lines and spaces on a printed form
12. US Chiefly British, Informal
television or a television set
used with the
13. Slang
the vulva or vagina
somewhat vulgar
14. US, Baseball
any of certain designated areas outlined on the playing field for the batter, catcher, and first-base and third-base coaches
15. Mechanics
a protective casing for a part
a journal box
verb transitive
16.
to provide with a box
17.
to put into a box, etc., as for storage or shipment
18.
to boxhaul
adjective
19.
shaped or made like a box
20.
packaged in a box
Idioms:
box in
box out
box the compass
box up
in a box
outside (of) the box
Derived forms
boxlike (ˈboxˌlike)
adjective
Word origin
ME & OE, a container, box < VL buxis < L buxus, boxwood < Gr pyxos; (sense 4) < the toolbox under the seat
box in American English2
(bɑks)
noun
1.
a blow struck with the hand or fist, esp. on the ear or the side of the head
verb transitive
2.
to strike with such a blow
3.
to engage in a boxing match with
verb intransitive
4.
to fight with the fists; engage in boxing
Word origin
ME < ?
box in American English3
(bɑks)
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 1)
adjective
3.
designating a family (Buxaceae, order Euphorbiales) of dicotyledonous evergreen shrubsand trees, including pachysandra