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box

 - 16 dictionary results

box

1[boks]
–noun
1. a container, case, or receptacle, usually rectangular, of wood, metal, cardboard, etc., and often with a lid or removable cover.
2. the quantity contained in a box: She bought a box of candy as a gift.
3. Chiefly British. a gift or present: a Christmas box.
4. post-office box.
5. a compartment or section in a public place, shut or railed off for the accommodation of a small number of people, esp. in a theater, opera house, sports stadium, etc.
6. a small enclosure or area in a courtroom, for witnesses or the jury.
7. a small shelter: a sentry's box.
8. British.
a. a small house, cabin, or cottage, as for use while hunting: a shooting box.
b. a telephone booth.
c. a wardrobe trunk.
9. box stall.
10. the driver's seat on a coach.
11. the section of a wagon in which passengers or parcels are carried.
12. Automotive. the section of a truck in which cargo is carried.
13. the box, Informal. television: Are there any good shows on the box tonight?
14. part of a page of a newspaper or periodical set off in some manner, as by lines, a border, or white space.
15. any enclosing, protective case or housing, sometimes including its contents: a gear box; a fire-alarm box.
16. Baseball.
a. either of two marked spaces, one on each side of the plate, in which the batter stands.
b. either of two marked spaces, one outside of first base and the other outside of third, where the coaches stand.
c. the pitcher's mound.
d. the marked space where the catcher stands.
17. a difficult situation; predicament.
18. Agriculture. a bowl or pit cut in the side of a tree for collecting sap.
19. Jazz Slang.
a. a stringed instrument, as a guitar.
b. a piano.
20. Informal.
a. a phonograph.
b. a boom box.
c. a computer.
21. Slang. a coffin.
22. Slang: Vulgar.
a. the vulva or vagina.
b. basket (def. 9).
–verb (used with object)
23. to put into a box: She boxed the glassware before the movers came.
24. to enclose or confine as in a box (often fol. by in or up).
25. to furnish with a box.
26. to form into a box or the shape of a box.
27. to block so as to keep from passing or achieving better position (often fol. by in): The Ferrari was boxed in by two other cars on the tenth lap.
28. to group together for consideration as one unit: to box bills in the legislature.
29. Building Trades. to enclose or conceal (a building or structure) as with boarding.
30. Agriculture. to make a hole or cut in (a tree) for sap to collect.
31. to mix (paint, varnish, or the like) by pouring from one container to another and back again.
32. Australian.
a. to mix groups of sheep that should be kept separated.
b. to confuse someone or something.
33. box out, Basketball. to position oneself between an opposing player and the basket to hinder the opposing player from rebounding or tipping in a shot; block out.
34. out of the box, Australian Slang. remarkable or exceptional; extraordinary.

Origin:
bef. 1000; ME, OE, prob. < LL buxis, a reshaping of L pyxis; see boîte


boxlike, adjective

box

2[boks]
–noun
1. a blow, as with the hand or fist: He gave the boy a box on his ear.
–verb (used with object)
2. to strike with the hand or fist, esp. on the ear.
3. to fight against (someone) in a boxing match.
–verb (used without object)
4. to fight with the fists; participate in a boxing match; spar.
5. to be a professional or experienced prizefighter or boxer: He has boxed since he was 16.

Origin:
1300–50; ME box a blow, boxen to beat, of uncert. orig.

box

3[boks]
–noun
1. an evergreen shrub or small tree of the genus Buxus, esp. B. sempervirens, having shiny, elliptic, dark-green leaves, used for ornamental borders, hedges, etc., and yielding a hard, durable wood.
2. the wood itself. Compare boxwood (defs. 1, 2).
3. any of various other shrubs or trees, esp. species of eucalyptus.

Origin:
bef. 950; ME, OE < L buxus boxwood < Gk pýxos

box

4[boks]
–verb (used with object)
1. Nautical. to boxhaul (often fol. by off).
2. Meteorology. to fly around the center of a storm in a boxlike pattern in order to gather meteorological data: to box a storm.
3. box the compass, Nautical. to recite all of the points of the compass in a clockwise order.

Origin:
1745–55; prob. < Sp bojar to sail around, earlier boxar, perh. < Catalan vogir to (cause to) turn ≪ L volvere (see revolve ); influenced by box 1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To box
box 1   (bŏks)   
n.  
    1. A container typically constructed with four sides perpendicular to the base and often having a lid or cover.

    2. The amount or quantity that such a container can hold.

    3. A separated compartment in a public place of entertainment, such as a theater or stadium, for the accommodation of a small group.

    4. An area of a public place, such as a courtroom or stadium, marked off and restricted for use by persons performing a specific function: a jury box.

    5. An area on a diamond marked by lines designating where the batter may stand.

    6. Any of various designated areas for other team members, such as the pitcher, catcher, and coaches.

    7. An inbox.

    8. An outbox.

    9. An insulating, enclosing, or protective casing or part in a machine.

    10. A signaling device enclosed in a casing: an alarm box.

    11. Informal A television.

    12. A very large portable radio.

  1. A square or rectangle: Draw a box around your answer.

    1. A separated compartment in a public place of entertainment, such as a theater or stadium, for the accommodation of a small group.

    2. An area of a public place, such as a courtroom or stadium, marked off and restricted for use by persons performing a specific function: a jury box.

    3. An area on a diamond marked by lines designating where the batter may stand.

    4. Any of various designated areas for other team members, such as the pitcher, catcher, and coaches.

    5. An inbox.

    6. An outbox.

    7. An insulating, enclosing, or protective casing or part in a machine.

    8. A signaling device enclosed in a casing: an alarm box.

    9. Informal A television.

    10. A very large portable radio.

  2. A small structure serving as a shelter: a sentry box.

  3. Chiefly British A small country house used as a sporting lodge: a shooting box.

  4. A box stall.

  5. The raised seat for the driver of a coach or carriage.

  6. Baseball

    1. An area on a diamond marked by lines designating where the batter may stand.

    2. Any of various designated areas for other team members, such as the pitcher, catcher, and coaches.

    3. An inbox.

    4. An outbox.

    5. An insulating, enclosing, or protective casing or part in a machine.

    6. A signaling device enclosed in a casing: an alarm box.

    7. Informal A television.

    8. A very large portable radio.

  7. Sports A penalty box.

  8. Printing Featured printed matter enclosed by hairlines, a border, or white space and placed within or between text columns.

  9. A hollow made in the side of a tree for the collection of sap.

  10. A post office box.

    1. An inbox.

    2. An outbox.

    3. An insulating, enclosing, or protective casing or part in a machine.

    4. A signaling device enclosed in a casing: an alarm box.

    5. Informal A television.

    6. A very large portable radio.

    1. An insulating, enclosing, or protective casing or part in a machine.

    2. A signaling device enclosed in a casing: an alarm box.

    3. Informal A television.

    4. A very large portable radio.

  11. A cable box.

    1. Informal A television.

    2. A very large portable radio.

  12. Chiefly British A gift or gratuity, especially one given at Christmas.

  13. An awkward or perplexing situation; a predicament.

  14. Vulgar Slang The vulva and the vagina.

tr.v.   boxed, box·ing, box·es
  1. To pack in a box.

  2. To confine in or as if in a box.

  3. To border or enclose with or as if with a box: Key sections of the report are boxed off.

  4. To provide a housing or case for (a machine part, for example).

    1. To limit the activity or influence of by or as if by creating a restrictive structure or outlining a territory: The legislature was boxed in by its earlier decisions.

    2. Sports To block (a competitor or opponent) from advancing, especially to hinder an opponent from getting a rebound in basketball by placing oneself between the opponent and the basket: was boxed out by the tallest player on the team; was boxed in on the homestretch.

  5. Nautical To boxhaul.

  6. To cut a hole in (a tree) for the collection of sap.

  7. To blend (paint) by pouring alternately between two containers.

  8. To change the shape of (a structure, such as a wall) by applying lath and plaster or boarding.


[Middle English, from Old English, from Late Latin buxis, from Greek puxis, from puxos, box tree.]
box 2   (bŏks)   
n.  A slap or blow with the hand or fist: a box on the ear.
v.   boxed, box·ing, box·es

v.   tr.
  1. To hit with the hand or fist.

  2. Sports To take part in a boxing match with.

v.   intr.
To fight with the fists or in a boxing match.

[Middle English.]
box 3   (bŏks)   
n.   pl. box or box·es
    1. Any of several evergreen shrubs or trees of the genus Buxus, especially the Eurasian species B. sempervirens, having opposite, leathery, simple leaves and clusters of unisexual flowers. It is widely grown as a hedge plant.

    2. The hard, light yellow wood of these plants, used to make musical instruments, rulers, inlays, and engraving blocks.

  1. Any of several other shrubs or trees with similar foliage or timber.


[Middle English, from Old English, from Latin buxus, from Greek puxos.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Slang Dictionary
box

  1. n.
    the genitals of the male, especially as contained within a garment, such as underwear. (Usually objectionable.) : God, did you see the box on him?
  2. n.
    the genitals of a female; the vagina considered as a container for the penis. (Usually objectionable.) : He wants to get in her box.
  3. n.
    a coffin. : Put him in a box and put the box in a hole. Then the matter is closed.
  4. n.
    a phonograph player. : Yours is old! My box still has tubes!
  5. n.
    a portable stereo radio. : Does that damn box have to be so loud?
  6. n.
    a piano. : She sure can pound the devil out of that box!
  7. in.
    to die. : The old man looks like he's going to box at any minute.

  8. Go to (ghetto) box. :

  9. Go to (squeeze-)box. :
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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(ghetto) blaster [ˈgɛdo blæstɚ] and [ˈgɛdo bɑks]

and (ghetto) box
  1. n.
    a huge portable stereo, often carried on the shoulder. (Associated with blacks.) : Hey, turn down that ghetto blaster in here!
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source
(squeeze-)box

  1. n.
    an accordion. (See also groan box.) : My brother plays the squeeze-box—not very well, but who can tell? , The band consisted of drums, clarinet, and a box. A real winner.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

box  (n.1.)
O.E. "a wooden container," also "type of shrub," from L.L. buxis, from Gk. pyxis "boxwood box," from pyxos "box tree," of uncertain origin. Slang meaning "vulva" is attested 17c., according to "Dictionary of American Slang;" modern use seems to date from c.WWII, perhaps originally Australian, and on notion of "box of tricks." Box office is 1786; in the fig. sense of "financial element of a performance" it is first recorded 1904. Boxing-day (1849) "first weekday after Christmas," on which postmen and others expect to receive a Christmas present, originally in ref. to the custom of distributing the contents of the Christmas box, which was placed in the church for charity collections.

box  (n.2.)
"a blow," c.1300, of uncertain origin, possibly related to M.Du. boke, M.H.G. buc and Dan. bask, all meaning "a blow," perhaps imitative. The verb meaning "to fight with the fists" is from 1567. Boxing as a sport is first recorded 1711.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Financial Dictionary

box

The physical location in which brokerage firms and banks place securities for safekeeping. See also free box, open box.

Wall Street Words: An A to Z Guide to Investment Terms by David L. Scott.
Copyright © 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Computing Dictionary

box computer
1. A computer; especially in the construction "foo box" where foo is some functional qualifier, like "graphics", or the name of an operating system (thus, "Unix box", "MS-DOS box", etc.) "We preprocess the data on Unix boxes before handing it up to the mainframe." The plural "boxen" is sometimes seen.
2. Without qualification in an IBM SNA site, "box" refers specifically to an IBM front-end processor.
[The Jargon File]
(1994-11-29)

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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Bible Dictionary

Box

for holding oil or perfumery (Mark 14:3). It was of the form of a flask or bottle. The Hebrew word (pak) used for it is more appropriately rendered "vial" in 1 Sam. 10:1, and should also be so rendered in 2 Kings 9:1, where alone else it occurs.

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
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Idioms & Phrases

box

In addition to the idioms beginning with box, also see in a bind (box); on one's soapbox; pandora's box; stuff the ballot box.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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