I. board 1 S1 W1 /bɔːd $ bɔːrd/ BrE AmE noun
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: bord ]
1 . INFORMATION [countable] a flat wide piece of wood, plastic etc that you can use to show information
on a board
The plan of the new building is displayed on a board at the back of the room.
I’ve put a list of names up on the board.
I’ll check the departure board for train times.
⇨ ↑ billboard , ↑ blackboard , ↑ noticeboard , ↑ scoreboard
2 .
FOR PUTTING THINGS ON [countable] a flat piece of wood, plastic, card etc that you use for a particular purpose such as cutting things on, or for playing indoor games:
Martha was chopping vegetables on a wooden board.
a chess board
⇨ ↑ breadboard , ↑ cheeseboard , ↑ chopping board
3 . GROUP OF PEOPLE ( also Board ) [countable also + plural verb] British English a group of people in a company or other organization who make the rules and important decisions
board of
The Board of Directors met yesterday.
There was disagreement among the agency's board of governors.
sit on a board/have a seat on a board (=be a member of a board)
He gave up his seat on the board after 40 years.
a board meeting
a board member
4 . IN NAMES Board used in the name of some organizations:
the New York State Board of Elections
the British Boxing Board of Control
5 . IN BUILDING [countable] a long thin flat piece of wood used for making floors, walls, fences etc:
We’ll have to take the boards up to check the wiring.
⇨ ↑ floorboard
6 . on board
a) on a ship, plane, or spacecraft SYN aboard :
There are 12 children on board the ship.
b) involved with something or working for an organization:
Supporters of the treaty say that it will be necessary to have the United States on board.
He came on board in the late sixties and spent two decades with the agency.
7 . MEALS [uncountable] the meals that are provided for you when you pay to stay somewhere:
In the nursing home she will have to pay for room and board.
The landlord provides board and lodging (=meals and a place to stay) .
⇨ ↑ full board , ↑ half board
8 . go by the board if an idea, way of behaving, or plan goes by the board, it fails to happen, ends, or is no longer possible:
Loyalty has gone by the board.
9 . IN WATER SPORTS [countable] a ↑ surfboard or ↑ sailboard
10 . across the board if something happens or is done across the board, it affects everyone in a particular group, place etc:
The changes will affect local authorities across the board.
We find jobs for people right across the board, from chief executives to cleaners.
11 . take something on board to listen to and accept a suggestion, idea etc:
The school refused to take any of the parents’ criticisms on board.
12 . ELECTRICITY [countable] a ↑ circuit board
13 . THEATRE the boards [plural] the stage in a theatre ⇨ tread the boards at ↑ tread 1 (7)
14 . SPORTS AREA boards [plural] American English the low wooden wall around the area in which you play ↑ ice hockey
15 . college/medical boards American English examinations that you take in the US when you formally ask to be accepted as a student at a college or medical school
⇨ ↑ above board , ↑ diving board , ↑ drawing board , ↑ ironing board , ↑ sounding board , ⇨ sweep the board at ↑ sweep 1 (11)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 3)
■ phrases
▪ a board of directors/trustees
The board of directors met yesterday.
▪ a board of governors (=in a school)
She sits on the board of governors.
▪ the school board American English
The school board voted on the appointment.
▪ the chairman of the board
James Clark has been named chairman of the board.
■ board + NOUN
▪ a board member
Two board members resigned earlier this year.
▪ a board meeting
An emergency board meeting will have to be held.
▪ at board level (=at a senior level in a company, involving people on the board)
The policy was approved at board level.
■ verbs
▪ be on the board
He's on the board of trustees.
▪ be appointed to the board
They agreed that an independent chairman should be appointed to the board.
▪ sit/serve on the board
She had served on the board of governors of the BBC.
▪ have a seat on the board
He gave up his seat on the board after 40 years' service.
▪ put something to the board (=ask the board to consider something)
Their proposals were put to the board.
II. board 2 BrE AmE verb
1 . [intransitive and transitive] formal to get on a bus, plane, train etc in order to travel somewhere:
The couple boarded the train for New York.
Passengers were standing on the dock, waiting to board.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say get on a bus, plane etc rather than board :
▪
When she heard the news, she got on the next plane for Chicago.
2 . be boarding if a plane or ship is boarding, passengers are getting onto it:
Olympic Airways Flight 172 to Istanbul is now boarding at Gate No. 37.
3 . [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to stay in a room in someone’s house that you pay for:
Several students boarded with Mrs. Smith.
4 . [intransitive] to stay at a school at night as well as during the day:
Dickie was sent away to school as soon as he was old enough to board.
board something ↔ out phrasal verb
to pay money and arrange for an animal to stay somewhere
board something ↔ up phrasal verb
to cover a window or door, or all the windows and doors of a building, with wooden boards:
The shop was boarded up.