Adjacent Words

Box definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

BOX, n. [Lat. buxus, the tree, and pyxis, a box; Gr. a box, and the tree.]
A coffer or chest, either of wood or metal. In general, the word box is used for a case of rough boards, or more slightly made than a chest,and used for the conveyance of goods. But the name is applied to cases of any size and of any materials; as a wooden box, a tin box, an iron box, a strong box.
1. The quantity that a box contains; as a box of quicksilver; a box or rings. In some cases,the quantity called a box is fixed by custom; in others,it is uncertain, as a box of tea or sugar.
2. A certain seat in a play-house, or in any public room.
3. The case which contains the mariner's compass.
4. A money chest.
5. A tree or shrub, constituting the genus buxus, used for bordering flower-beds. The African box is the myrsine.
6. A blow on the head with the hand, or on the ear with the open hand.
7. A cylindrical hollow iron used in wheels, in which the axle-tree runs. Also, a hollow tube in a pump, closed with a valve.
BOX, v.i. To fight with the fist; to combat with the hand or fist.
BOX, v.t. To inclose in a box; also, to furnish with boxes, as a wheel or block.
1. To strike with the hand or fist, especially the ear or side of the head.
2. To rehearse the several points of the compass in their proper order.
3. To make a hole or cut in a tree, to procure the sap; as, to box a maple.
4. To sail round.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid; "he rummaged through a box of spare parts"
2: private area in a theater or grandstand where a small group can watch the performance; "the royal box was empty" [syn: box, loge]
3: the quantity contained in a box; "he gave her a box of chocolates" [syn: box, boxful]
4: a predicament from which a skillful or graceful escape is impossible; "his lying got him into a tight corner" [syn: corner, box]
5: a rectangular drawing; "the flowchart contained many boxes"
6: evergreen shrubs or small trees [syn: box, boxwood]
7: any one of several designated areas on a ball field where the batter or catcher or coaches are positioned; "the umpire warned the batter to stay in the batter's box"
8: the driver's seat on a coach; "an armed guard sat in the box with the driver" [syn: box, box seat]
9: separate partitioned area in a public place for a few people; "the sentry stayed in his box to avoid the cold"
10: a blow with the hand (usually on the ear); "I gave him a good box on the ear" v
1: put into a box; "box the gift, please" [syn: box, package] [ant: unbox]
2: hit with the fist; "I'll box your ears!"
3: engage in a boxing match

Merriam Webster's

I. noun (plural box or boxes) Etymology: Middle English, from Old English, from Latin buxus, from Greek pyxos Date: before 12th century an evergreen shrub or small tree (genus Buxus of the family Buxaceae, the box family) with opposite entire leaves and capsular fruits; especially a widely cultivated shrub (B. sempervirens) used for hedges, borders, and topiary figures II. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English, from Late Latin buxis, from Greek pyxis, from pyxos box tree Date: before 12th century 1. a rigid typically rectangular container with or without a cover <a cigar box>: as a. an open cargo container of a vehicle b. coffin 2. the contents of a box especially as a measure of quantity 3. a box or boxlike container and its contents: as a. British a gift in a box b. an automobile transmission c. television d. a signaling apparatus <alarm box> e. a usually self-contained piece of electronic equipment f. boom box 4. an often small space, compartment, or enclosure: as a. an enclosed group of seats for spectators (as in a theater or stadium) b. a driver's seat on a carriage or coach c. a cell for holding mail d. British box stall e. penalty box 5. a usually rectangular space that is frequently outlined or demarcated on a surface: as a. any of six spaces on a baseball diamond where the batter, coaches, pitcher, and catcher stand b. a space on a page for printed matter or in which to make a mark 6. predicament, fix 7. a cubical building 8. the limitations of conventionality <trying to think outside the box> • boxful noun • boxlike adjective III. transitive verb Date: 15th century 1. to enclose in or as if in a box 2. to hem in (as an opponent) — usually used with in, out, or up <boxed out the tackle> IV. noun Etymology: Middle English Date: 14th century a punch or slap especially on the ear V. verb Date: 1519 transitive verb 1. to hit (as the ears) with the hand 2. to engage in boxing with intransitive verb to fight with the fists ; engage in boxing VI. transitive verb Etymology: probably from Spanish bojar to circumnavigate, from Catalan vogir to turn, from Latin volvere to roll — more at voluble Date: 1713 to name the 32 points of (the compass) in their order — used figuratively in the phrase box the compass to describe making a complete reversal

Britannica Concise

In botany, an evergreen shrub or small tree (genus Buxus) of the box family (Buxaceae), best known for the ornamental and useful boxwoods. The family comprises seven genera of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants, native to N. America, Europe, N. Africa, and Asia. The plants bear male and female flowers, without petals, on separate plants. The leathery, evergreen leaves are simple and alternate. Fruits are one- or two-seeded capsules or drupes. Three species of the genus Buxus provide the widely grown boxwood: the common, or English, box (B. sempervirens), used for hedges, borders, and topiary figures; the Japanese box (B. microphylla); and the tall boxwood tree (B. balearica).

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. n. & v. --n. 1 a container, usu. with flat sides and of firm material such as wood or card, esp. for holding solids. 2 a the amount that will fill a box. b Brit. a gift of a kind formerly given to tradesmen etc. at Christmas. 3 a separate compartment for any of various purposes, e.g. for a small group in a theatre, for witnesses in a lawcourt, for horses in a stable or vehicle. 4 an enclosure or receptacle for a special purpose (often in comb. : money box; telephone box). 5 a facility at a newspaper office for receiving replies to an advertisement. 6 (prec. by the) colloq. television; one's television set (what's on the box?). 7 an enclosed area or space. 8 a space or area of print on a page, enclosed by a border. 9 Brit. a small country house for use when shooting, fishing, or for other sporting activity. 10 a protective casing for a piece of mechanism. 11 a light shield for protecting the genitals in sport, esp. in cricket. 12 (prec. by the) Football colloq. the penalty area. 13 Baseball the area occupied by the batter or the pitcher. 14 a coachman's seat. --v.tr. 1 put in or provide with a box. 2 (foll. by in, up) confine; restrain from movement. 3 (foll. by up) Austral. & NZ mix up (different flocks of sheep). Phrases and idioms: box camera a simple box-shaped hand camera. box the compass Naut. recite the points of the compass in the correct order. box girder a hollow girder square in cross-section. box junction Brit. a road area at a junction marked with a yellow grid, which a vehicle should enter only if its exit from it is clear. box kite a kite in the form of a long box open at each end. box number a number by which replies are made to a private advertisement in a newspaper. box office 1 an office for booking seats and buying tickets at a theatre, cinema, etc. 2 the commercial aspect of the arts and entertainment (often attrib. : a box-office failure). box pleat a pleat consisting of two parallel creases forming a raised band. box spanner a spanner with a box-shaped end fitting over the head of a nut. box spring each of a set of vertical springs housed in a frame, e.g. in a mattress. Derivatives: boxful n. (pl. -fuls). boxlike adj. Etymology: OE f. LL buxis f. L PYXIS 2. v. & n. --v. 1 a tr. fight (an opponent) at boxing. b intr. practise boxing. 2 slap (esp. a person's ears). --n. a slap with the hand, esp. on the ears. Phrases and idioms: box clever colloq. act in a clever or effective way. Etymology: ME: orig. unkn. 3. n. 1 any small evergreen tree or shrub of the genus Buxus, esp. B. sempervirens, a slow-growing tree with glossy dark green leaves which is often used in hedging. 2 its wood, used for carving, turning, engraving, etc. 3 any of various trees in Australasia which have similar wood or foliage, esp. those of several species of Eucalyptus. 4 = BOXWOOD. Phrases and idioms: box elder the American ash-leaved maple, Acer negundo. Etymology: OE f. L buxus, Gk puxos

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Musical Mu"sic*al, a. [Cf. F. musical.] Of or pertaining to music; having the qualities of music; or the power of producing music; devoted to music; melodious; harmonious; as, musical proportion; a musical voice; musical instruments; a musical sentence; musical persons. Musical, or Music, box, a box or case containing apparatus moved by clockwork so as to play certain tunes automatically. Musical fish (Zo["o]l.), any fish which utters sounds under water, as the drumfish, grunt, gizzard shad, etc. Musical glasses, glass goblets or bowls so tuned and arranged that when struck, or rubbed, they produce musical notes. CF. Harmonica, 1.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Box Box (b[o^]ks), n. [As. box, L. buxus, fr. Gr. ?. See Box a case.] (Bot.) A tree or shrub, flourishing in different parts of the world. The common box (Buxus sempervirens) has two varieties, one of which, the dwarf box (B. suffruticosa), is much used for borders in gardens. The wood of the tree varieties, being very hard and smooth, is extensively used in the arts, as by turners, engravers, mathematical instrument makers, etc. Box elder, the ash-leaved maple (Negundo aceroides), of North America. Box holly, the butcher's broom (Russus aculeatus). Box thorn, a shrub (Lycium barbarum). Box tree, the tree variety of the common box.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Box Box, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Boxed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Boxing.] 1. To inclose in a box. 2. To furnish with boxes, as a wheel. 3. (Arch.) To inclose with boarding, lathing, etc., so as to bring to a required form. To box a tree, to make an incision or hole in a tree for the purpose of procuring the sap. To box off, to divide into tight compartments. To box up. (a) To put into a box in order to save; as, he had boxed up twelve score pounds. (b) To confine; as, to be boxed up in narrow quarters.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Box Box, n.; pl. Boxes [As. box a small case or vessel with a cover; akin to OHG. buhsa box, G. b["u]chse; fr. L. buxus boxwood, anything made of boxwood. See Pyx, and cf. Box a tree, Bushel.] 1. A receptacle or case of any firm material and of various shapes. 2. The quantity that a box contain. 3. A space with a few seats partitioned off in a theater, or other place of public amusement. Laughed at by the pit, box, galleries, nay, stage. --Dorset. The boxes and the pit are sovereign judges. --Dryden. 4. A chest or any receptacle for the deposit of money; as, a poor box; a contribution box. Yet since his neighbors give, the churl unlocks, Damning the poor, his tripple-bolted box. --J. Warton. 5. A small country house. ``A shooting box.'' --Wilson. Tight boxes neatly sashed. --Cowper. 6. A boxlike shed for shelter; as, a sentry box. 7. (Mach) (a) An axle box, journal box, journal bearing, or bushing. (b) A chamber or section of tube in which a valve works; the bucket of a lifting pump. 8. The driver's seat on a carriage or coach. 9. A present in a box; a present; esp. a Christmas box or gift. ``A Christmas box.'' --Dickens. 10. (Baseball) The square in which the pitcher stands. 11. (Zo["o]l.) A Mediterranean food fish; the bogue. Note: Box is much used adjectively or in composition; as box lid, box maker, box circle, etc.; also with modifying substantives; as money box, letter box, bandbox, hatbox or hat box, snuff box or snuffbox. Box beam (Arch.), a beam made of metal plates so as to have the form of a long box. Box car (Railroads), a freight car covered with a roof and inclosed on the sides to protect its contents. Box chronometer, a ship's chronometer, mounted in gimbals, to preserve its proper position. Box coat, a thick overcoat for driving; sometimes with a heavy cape to carry off the rain. Box coupling, a metal collar uniting the ends of shafts or other parts in machinery. Box crab (Zo["o]l.), a crab of the genus Calappa, which, when at rest with the legs retracted, resembles a box. Box drain (Arch.), a drain constructed with upright sides, and with flat top and bottom. Box girder (Arch.), a box beam. Box groove (Metal Working), a closed groove between two rolls, formed by a collar on one roll fitting between collars on another. --R. W. Raymond. Box metal, an alloy of copper and tin, or of zinc, lead, and antimony, for the bearings of journals, etc. Box plait, a plait that doubles both to the right and the left. Box turtle or Box tortoise (Zo["o]l.), a land tortoise or turtle of the genera Cistudo and Emys; -- so named because it can withdraw entirely within its shell, which can be closed by hinged joints in the lower shell. Also, humorously, an exceedingly reticent person. --Emerson. In a box, in a perplexity or an embarrassing position; in difficulty. (Colloq.) In the wrong box, out of one's place; out of one's element; awkwardly situated. (Colloq.) --Ridley (1554)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Box Box, n. [Cf.Dan. baske to slap, bask slap, blow. Cf. Pash.] A blow on the head or ear with the hand. A good-humored box on the ear. --W. Irving.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Box Box, v. i. To fight with the fist; to combat with, or as with, the hand or fist; to spar.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Box Box, v. t. To strike with the hand or fist, especially to strike on the ear, or on the side of the head.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Box Box, v. t. [Cf.Sp. boxar, now spelt bojar.] To boxhaul. To box off (Naut.), to turn the head of a vessel either way by bracing the headyards aback. To box the compass (Naut.), to name the thirty-two points of the compass in their order.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Boce Boce (b[=o]s), n. [L. box, bocis, Gr. bo`ax, bw^x.] (Zo["o]l.) A European fish (Box vulgaris), having a compressed body and bright colors; -- called also box, and bogue.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(boxes, boxing, boxed) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. 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. N-COUNT • A box of something is an amount of it contained in a box. She ate two boxes of liqueurs. N-COUNT: usu N of n 2. A box is a square or rectangle that is printed or drawn on a piece of paper, a road, or on some other surface. N-COUNT: usu with supp 3. In football, the box is the penalty area of the field. He scored from the penalty spot after being brought down in the box. N-SING: the N 4. 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. N-COUNT 5. Television is sometimes referred to as the box. (BRIT INFORMAL) Do you watch it live at all or do you watch it on the box? = telly N-SING: the N 6. Box is used before a number as a postal address by organizations that receive a lot of mail. ...Country Crafts, Box 111, Landisville. N-COUNT: with supp, usu N num 7. Box is a small evergreen tree with dark leaves which is often used to form hedges. ...box hedges. N-UNCOUNT: oft N n 8. To box means to fight someone according to the rules of boxing. At school I boxed and played rugby... The two fighters had previously boxed a 12-round match. VERB: V, V n, also V as n 9. see also boxed, boxing, black box, chocolate-box, lunch box, phone box, post office box, postbox, sentry box, signal box, telephone box

Easton's Bible Dictionary

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.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

The passages in which this word occurs are 2Ki 9:1,3 (Hebrew pakh, "cruet," "flask," the Revised Version (British and American) vial) and the synoptic passages Mt 26:7 the King James Version; Mr 14:3 the King James Version; Lu 7:37 the King James Version (Greek alabastron). "Perfume-boxes" are mentioned in Isa 3:20; in the New Testament passages the Revised Version (British and American) renders "alabaster cruse." "Alabaster" was a white stone much used in ornamentation; and out of it small vessels we re made for holding precious ointment. "She brake the cruse" (Mr 14:3), i.e. the seal, not the vessel.

In Isa 41:19 and Isa 60:13, "box" is found in connection with "tree," as "box-tree" (which see).

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. 1. Case, receptacle, chest. 2. Driver's seat, coachman's seat. 3. Enclosed seat or seats (in a theatre). 4. Blow, stroke, cuff, buffet. II. v. a. 1. Enclose in a box, case, put in chests or cases. 2. Strike (with the hand or fist, as the ears), buffet, cuff. III. v. n. Spar, practise pugilism, play at fisticuffs, practise with the gloves.

Moby Thesaurus

Christmas present, archives, armory, arsenal, attic, auditorium, award, bag, balcony, bank, barrel, basement, basket, battle, bay, bin, birthday present, blind alley, blip, blockhouse, blow, bonded warehouse, bookcase, booth, bottle, box in, box seat, box the ears, box up, brawl, broil, buffet, bungalow, bunker, burden, burial case, buttery, cabin, caboose, cadeau, camp, can, capsule, cargo dock, carton, case, cask, casket, cavity, cell, cellar, cellule, chalet, chamber, chest, chop, circumscribe, clash, close, closet, clout, coffin, collide, combat, come to blows, compartment, confine, conservatory, contend, contest, corner, cot, cote, cottage, cramp, crate, crib, crypt, cuff, cul-de-sac, cupboard, cut, cut and thrust, dead end, dead-end street, deadlock, depository, depot, dock, drawer, dress circle, duel, dump, embox, embrace, encapsulate, encase, enclosed space, encyst, enfold, enshroud, envelop, enwrap, exchange blows, exchequer, extremity, fairing, fauteuil, fence, feud, fight, fight a duel, fill, fix, flap, freight, gallery, gift, give and take, give satisfaction, glory hole, godown, grapple, grapple with, halt, hamper, handsel, haymaker, heap, heap up, hem, hem in, hold, hole, hollow, hutch, impasse, invest, jam, jar, jostle, joust, keep from spreading, keep within bounds, kist, lade, lap, lash, library, limit, load, localize, locker, lodge, log cabin, loge, love nest, lumber room, lumberyard, magasin, magazine, manger, mass, mix it up, mummy case, narrow, nigger heaven, oblation, offering, orchestra, orchestra circle, pack, pack away, package, paradise, parcel, parquet, parquet circle, parterre, paste, peace offering, peanut gallery, pew, pickle, pied-a-terre, pile, pit, plight, pocket, pot, present, presentation, proscenium boxes, punch, qualify, quarrel, rack, rassle, repertory, repository, reservoir, restrict, rick, riot, run a tilt, sack, sarcophagus, scramble, scrape, scuffle, shack, shanty, sheathe, shelf, ship, shroud, skirmish, slap, slap the face, smack, smother, snuggery, sock, spank, spar, spot, stack, stack room, stalemate, stall, stand, standing room, standstill, stint, stock room, stop, storage, store, storehouse, storeroom, stow, strike, stripe, strive, struggle, supply base, supply depot, surround, swaddle, swathe, tank, theatre stall, thrust and parry, tighten, tilt, tin, token punishment, tourney, treasure house, treasure room, treasury, tribute, tussle, vat, vault, wage war, war, warehouse, whack, whip, white elephant, whomp, wine cellar, wrap, wrap about, wrap up, wrestle