box

¹ American  

[boks] / bɒks /

noun

1. a container, case, or receptacle, usually rectangular, of wood, metal, cardboard, etc., and often with a lid or removable cover.

2. the quantity contained in a box.

   She bought a box of candy as a gift.

3. Chiefly British. a gift or present.

   a Christmas box.

4. post office box.

5. a compartment or section in a public place, shut or railed off for the accommodation of a small number of people, especially in a theater, opera house, sports stadium, etc.

6. a small enclosure or area in a courtroom, for witnesses or the jury.

7. a small shelter.

   a sentry's box.

8. British.

   1. a small house, cabin, or cottage, as for use while hunting.

      a shooting box.

   2. a telephone booth.

   3. a wardrobe trunk.

9. box stall.

10. the driver's seat on a coach.

11. the section of a wagon in which passengers or parcels are carried.

12. Automotive. the section of a truck in which cargo is carried.

13. Informal. the box, television.

    Are there any good shows on the box tonight?

14. part of a page of a newspaper or periodical set off in some manner, as by lines, a border, or white space.

15. any enclosing, protective case or housing, sometimes including its contents.

    a gear box; a fire-alarm box.

16. Baseball.

    1. either of two marked spaces, one on each side of the plate, in which the batter stands.

    2. either of two marked spaces, one outside of first base and the other outside of third, where the coaches stand.

    3. the pitcher's mound.

    4. the marked space where the catcher stands.

17. a difficult situation; predicament.

18. Agriculture. a bowl or pit cut in the side of a tree for collecting sap.

19. Jazz Slang.

    1. a stringed instrument, as a guitar.

    2. a piano.

20. Informal.

    1. a phonograph.

    2. a boom box.

    3. a computer.

21. Slang. a coffin.

22. Slang: Vulgar.

    1. the vulva or vagina.

    2. basket.

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verb (used with object)

1. to put into a box.

   She boxed the glassware before the movers came.

2. to enclose or confine as in a box (often followed by in orup ).

3. to furnish with a box.

4. to form into a box or the shape of a box.

5. to block so as to keep from passing or achieving better position (often followed byin ).

   The Ferrari was boxed in by two other cars on the tenth lap.

6. to group together for consideration as one unit.

   to box bills in the legislature.

7. Building Trades. to enclose or conceal (a building or structure) as with boarding.

8. Agriculture. to make a hole or cut in (a tree) for sap to collect.

9. to mix (paint, varnish, or the like) by pouring from one container to another and back again.

10. Australian.

    1. to mix groups of sheep that should be kept separated.

    2. to confuse someone or something.

verb phrase

1. box out to position oneself between an opposing player and the basket to hinder the opposing player from rebounding or tipping in a shot; block out.

idioms

1. outside the box, in an innovative or unconventional manner; with a fresh perspective: Also out of the box

   You have to think outside the box and adapt those strategies to your business.

2. out of the box, remarkable or exceptional; extraordinary.

box ² American  

[boks] / bɒks /

verb (used with object)

1. to fight against (someone) in a boxing match.

2. to strike with the hand or fist, especially on the ear.

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verb (used without object)

1. to fight with the fists; participate in a boxing match; spar.

2. to be a professional or experienced prizefighter or boxer.

   He has boxed since he was 16.

noun

1. a blow, as with the hand or fist.

   He gave the boy a box on his ear.

box ³ American  

[boks] / bɒks /

noun

1. an evergreen shrub or small tree of the genus Buxus, especially B. sempervirens, having shiny, elliptic, dark-green leaves, used for ornamental borders, hedges, etc., and yielding a hard, durable wood.

2. the wood itself.

3. any of various other shrubs or trees, especially species of eucalyptus.

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box ⁴ American  

[boks] / bɒks /

verb (used with object)

1. Nautical. to boxhaul (often followed byoff ).

2. Meteorology. to fly around the center of a storm in a boxlike pattern in order to gather meteorological data.

   to box a storm.

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idioms

1. box the compass, to recite all of the points of the compass in a clockwise order.

box ¹ British  

/ bɒks /

noun

1. a receptacle or container made of wood, cardboard, etc, usually rectangular and having a removable or hinged lid

2. Also called: boxful.  the contents of such a receptacle or the amount it can contain

   he ate a whole box of chocolates

3. any of various containers for a specific purpose

   a money box

   letter box

4. (often in combination) any of various small cubicles, kiosks, or shelters

   a telephone box or callbox

   a sentry box

   a signal box on a railway

5. a separate compartment in a public place for a small group of people, as in a theatre or certain restaurants

6. an enclosure within a courtroom See jury box witness box

7. a compartment for a horse in a stable or a vehicle See loosebox horsebox

8. a small country house occupied by sportsmen when following a field sport, esp shooting

9. 1. a protective housing for machinery or mechanical parts

   2. the contents of such a box

   3. ( in combination )

      a gearbox

10. a shaped device of light tough material worn by sportsmen to protect the genitals, esp in cricket

11. a section of printed matter on a page, enclosed by lines, a border, or white space

12. a central agency to which mail is addressed and from which it is collected or redistributed

    a post-office box

    to reply to a box number in a newspaper advertisement

13. the central part of a computer or the casing enclosing it

14. short for penalty box

15. baseball either of the designated areas in which the batter may stand

16. the raised seat on which the driver sits in a horse-drawn coach

17. a wheeled container for transporting coal in a mine

18. an accidental mixing of herds or flocks

19. a hole cut into the base of a tree to collect the sap

20. short for Christmas box

21. a device for dividing water into two or more ditches in an irrigation system

22. an informal name for a coffin

23. taboo the female genitals

24. to be very well indeed

25. informal television

26. to think in a different, innovative, or original manner, esp with regard to business practices, products, systems, etc

27. to satisfy all of the apparent requirements for success

28. informal outstanding or excellent

    a day out of the box

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verb

1. (tr) to put into a box

2. (tr; usually foll by in or up) to prevent from moving freely; confine

3. printing to enclose (text) within a ruled frame

4. (tr) to make a cut in the base of (a tree) in order to collect the sap

5. (tr) to mix (flocks or herds) accidentally

6. to confuse

   I am all boxed up

7. nautical short for boxhaul

8. nautical to name the compass points in order

box ² British  

/ bɒks /

verb

1. (tr) to fight (an opponent) in a boxing match

2. (intr) to engage in boxing

3. (tr) to hit (a person) with the fist; punch or cuff

4. to behave in a careful and cunning way

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noun

1. a punch with the fist, esp on the ear

box ³ British  

/ bɒks /

noun

1. a dense slow-growing evergreen tree or shrub of the genus Buxus , esp B. sempervirens , which has small shiny leaves and is used for hedges, borders, and garden mazes: family Buxaceae

2. the wood of this tree See boxwood

3. any of several trees the timber or foliage of which resembles this tree, esp various species of Eucalyptus with rough bark

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box More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing box

• in a bind (box)
• on one's soapbox
• pandora's box
• stuff the ballot box

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Other Word Forms

• boxlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of box¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English, Old English, probably from Late Latin buxis, a reshaping of Latin pyxis; boîte, pyx

Origin of box²

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English box “a blow,” boxen “to beat,” of uncertain origin

Origin of box³

First recorded before 950; Middle English, Old English, from Latin buxus “boxwood,” from Greek pýxos

Origin of box⁴

First recorded in 1745–55; probably from Spanish bojar “to sail around,” earlier boxar, perhaps from Catalan vogir “to (cause to) turn,” ultimately derived from Latin volvere ( revolve ); influenced by box ¹ (verb)

Example Sentences

By merging then and now, it plunges visitors into a milieu they may know only through a Shaker bentwood box, and it signals that this exhibition aims to explore the relevance of Shaker ideas today.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

He does opera indoors, outdoors, out of any box you put in his way.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

“Kids like just about everything,” she said — pointing to how, at Christmas, the most popular “gift” often turns out to be a big box itself, rather than the item inside it.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026

As well as the black box, Motability has introduced recommendations that drivers take a break every hour and aim not to do more than six journeys a day.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

With an anxious glance at the door, Nollie dropped to her knees, reached beneath the single bed, which was all our tiny room would hold, and drew out a little round hat box.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Related Words

• carton
• crate
• pack
• package
• trunk