blue box

American  

noun

1. an electronic device used by phone phreaks to send out signals that unlock long-distance telephone circuits.

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blue box British  

noun

1. a blue plastic container for domestic refuse that is to be collected and recycled

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Etymology

Origin of blue box

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

I watched as he stuck both fists in his face to remove the saliva-drenched hardware, which he then placed in a little blue box.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 23, 2024

Above each ankle was an American flag of sorts, comprising red and black lines and a blue box filled with spangly stars and stripes.

From New York Times • Feb. 24, 2024

Cantrell expected to find magazines in the blue box.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 11, 2023

Tamarah Logan, a 56-year-old writer in Los Angeles, was shopping at Walmart last month when she spotted the blue box of Sweet Dreams with the tagline, “part of a healthy sleep routine.”

From Washington Post • Mar. 14, 2023

Week after week, wherever he went—be it chess club, restaurant, cafeteria, or billiard parlor—there was the blue box.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady