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• across-the-board
  across-the-board

  adjective

  applying to all employees, members, groups, or categories; general.
• across the board
  across the board

  Applying to all the individuals in a group, as in They promised us an across-the-board tax cut, that is, one applying to all taxpayers, regardless of income. This expression comes from horse racing, where it refers to a bet that covers all possible ways of winning money on a race: win (first), place (second), or show (third). The board here is the notice-board on which the races and betting odds are listed. Its figurative use dates from the mid-1900s.

across-the-board

American  

[uh-kraws-thuh-bawrd, -bohrd, uh-kros-] / əˈkrɔs ðəˈbɔrd, -ˈboʊrd, əˈkrɒs- /

adjective

1. applying to all employees, members, groups, or categories; general.

   The across-the-board pay increase means a raise for all employees.

2. (of a bet) covering all possibilities of winning on a given result, especially by placing a combination bet on one horse in a race for win, place, and show.

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across-the-board British  

adjective

1. (of salary increases, taxation cuts, etc) affecting all levels or classes equally

2. horse racing the US term for each way

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across the board Idioms  

1. Applying to all the individuals in a group, as in They promised us an across-the-board tax cut, that is, one applying to all taxpayers, regardless of income. This expression comes from horse racing, where it refers to a bet that covers all possible ways of winning money on a race: win (first), place (second), or show (third). The board here is the notice-board on which the races and betting odds are listed. Its figurative use dates from the mid-1900s.

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Etymology

Origin of across-the-board

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

"If they are taking a hit, that will certainly be felt across the board."

From Barron's • Jun. 26, 2026

Space stocks across the board are getting punished.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 26, 2026

Then there’s the all-hands-on-deck logistics of modern life: Families need two-person incomes, more moms across the board are pursuing careers, many dads can now work from home—and that diaper is not going to change itself.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026

Consumers aren’t cutting back restaurant spending across the board; they are trading down to brands that offer clear value, or trading up to experiences they believe justify the price.

From Barron's • Jun. 18, 2026

“White always plays first in chess,” said Ron, peering across the board.

From "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling

Related Words

• sweeping