/ bɔːd; NAmE bɔːrd/ noun , verb
■ noun
PIECE OF WOOD etc.
1.
[ C , U ] a long thin piece of strong hard material, especially wood, used, for example, for making floors, building walls and roofs and making boats :
He had ripped up the carpet, leaving only the bare boards.
—see also chipboard , floorboard , hardboard , skirting board
2.
[ C ] (especially in compounds) a piece of wood, or other strong material, that is used for a special purpose :
a blackboard
I'll write it up on the board.
( BrE )
a noticeboard
( NAmE )
a bulletin board
The exam results went up on the board.
a diving board
She jumped off the top board.
a chessboard
He removed the figure from the board.
—see also message board
IN WATER SPORTS
3.
[ C ] = bodyboard , sailboard , surfboard
GROUP OF PEOPLE
4.
[ C +sing./pl. v . ] a group of people who have power to make decisions and control a company or other organization :
She has a seat on the board of directors.
The board is / are unhappy about falling sales.
members of the board
discussions at board level
the academic board (= for example, of a British university)
( NAmE )
the Board of Education (= a group of elected officials who are in charge of all the public schools in a particular area)
ORGANIZATION
5.
[ C ] used in the name of some organizations :
the Welsh Tourist Board (= responsible for giving tourist information)
MEALS
6.
[ U ] the meals that are provided when you stay in a hotel, guest house , etc.; what you pay for the meals :
He pays £90 a week board and lodging.
—see also bed and board , full board , half board
EXAMS
7.
boards [ pl. ] ( old-fashioned , US ) exams that you take when you apply to go to college in the US
IN THEATRE
8.
the boards [ pl. ] ( old-fashioned , informal ) the stage in a theatre :
His play is on the boards on Broadway.
She's treading the boards (= working as an actress) .
ICE HOCKEY
9.
the boards [ pl. ] ( NAmE ) the low wooden wall surrounding the area where a game of ice hockey is played :
The puck went wide, hitting the boards.
HELP NOTE : There are many other compounds ending in board . You will find them at their place in the alphabet.
•
IDIOMS
- across the board
- go by the board
- on board
- take sth on board
—more at sweep verb
■ verb
GET ON PLANE / SHIP, etc.
1.
to get on a ship, train, plane, bus, etc. :
[ vn ]
The ship was boarded by customs officials.
[ v ]
Passengers are waiting to board.
2.
[ v ] be boarding when a plane or ship is boarding , it is ready for passengers to get on :
Flight BA193 for Paris is now boarding at Gate 37.
LIVE SOMEWHERE
3.
[ v ] board at ... / with sb to live and take meals in sb's home, in return for payment :
She always had one or two students boarding with her.
4.
[ v ] to live at a school during the school year
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- board sb out
- board sth up
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English bord , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch boord and German Bort ; reinforced in Middle English by Old French bort edge, ship's side and Old Norse borth board, table.