by the board

Idioms

Fallen out of use, discarded. This expression usually is put as go by the board, as in With all the crime around here, the practice of leaving the house unlocked has gone by the board. The board here is the board of a ship, and the expression has been used since about 1630 to signify something that has fallen overboard and been carried away. [Mid-1800s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Manifold was removed by the board over serious concerns about governance and conduct, BP said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026

This was a decision influenced by the board of an advertising agency on which Deighton had once served, where everyone else went to Eton.

From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026

Many of the complaints have been dismissed by the board, after investigations by Georgia’s Republican secretary of state.

From Salon • Feb. 10, 2026

In 2025, I believe, with one exception, dozens and dozens of cases and opinions issued by the board almost uniformly narrowed the protections available to noncitizens.

From Slate • Jan. 21, 2026

The stuff he scraped off his feet alone would have been enough to get the house condemned by the board of health.

From "Schooled" by Gordon Korman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023