— boardable , adj. — boardlike , adj.
/bawrd, bohrd/ , n.
1. a piece of wood sawed thin, and of considerable length and breadth compared with the thickness.
2. a flat slab of wood or other material for some specific purpose: a cutting board.
3. a sheet of wood, cardboard, paper, etc., with or without markings, for some special use, as a checkerboard or chessboard.
4. boards ,
a. Theat. the stage: The play will go on the boards next week.
b. the wooden fence surrounding the playing area of an ice-hockey rink.
c. a racing course made of wood, used esp. in track meets held indoors: his first time running on boards.
5. Bookbinding. stiff cardboard or other material covered with paper, cloth, or the like to form the covers for a book.
6. Building Trades. composition material made in large sheets, as plasterboard or corkboard.
7. a table, esp. to serve food on.
8. daily meals, esp. as provided for pay: twenty dollars a day for room and board.
9. an official group of persons who direct or supervise some activity: a board of directors.
10. Naut.
a. the side of a ship.
b. one leg, or tack, of the course of a ship beating to windward.
11. Railroads. a fixed signal or permanent sign regulating traffic.
12. a flat surface, as a wall or an object of rectangular shape, on which something is posted, as notices or stock-market quotations: a bulletin board.
13. surfboard.
14. Computers.
a. Also called card, circuit board . a piece of fiberglass or other material upon which chips can be mounted to perform specific functions.
b. plugboard (def. 2).
15. Electronics. See circuit board (def. 2).
16. a switchboard.
17. Australian.
a. the area of a woolshed where shearing is done.
b. a crew of shearers working in a particular woolshed.
c. sheep about to be sheared.
18. Obs. the edge, border, or side of anything.
19. across the board ,
a. Racing. betting on a horse or dog to finish first, second, or third, so that any result where a selection wins, places, or shows enables the bettor to collect.
b. applying to or affecting every person, class, group, etc.
20. go by the board ,
a. to go over the ship's side.
b. to be destroyed, neglected, or forgotten: All his devoted labor went by the board.
21. on board ,
a. on or in a ship, plane, or other vehicle: There were several movie stars on board traveling incognito.
b. Baseball. on base: There were two men on board as the next batter came up.
c. present and functioning as a member of a team or organization. Also, aboard .
22. on the boards , in the theatrical profession: The family has been on the boards since grandfather's time.
23. tread the boards . See tread (def. 11).
v.t.
24. to cover or close with boards (often fol. by up or over ): to board up a house; to board over a well.
25. to furnish with meals, or with meals and lodging, esp. for pay: They boarded him for $50 a week.
26. to go on board of or enter (a ship, train, etc.).
27. to allow on board: We will be boarding passengers in approximately ten minutes.
28. to come up alongside (a ship), as to attack or to go on board: The pirate ship boarded the clipper.
29. Obs. to approach; accost.
v.i.
30. to take one's meals, or be supplied with food and lodging at a fixed price: Several of us board at the same rooming house.
31. Ice Hockey. to hit an opposing player with a board check.
[ bef. 900; ME, OE bord board, table, shield; c. D boord board, bord plate, G Bort, ON borth, Goth -baurd ]