I. ˈbäks noun
( plural box or box·es )
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
• box·ful -fu̇l noun
• box·like -ˌlīk 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
box ed 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