Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

by the board

Idioms  
  1. 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.

The transaction has been approved by the board of directors of both companies.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026

The length of Carvalho’s leave was not set in a statement released by the board.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 27, 2026

The costed options were signed off by the board in December.

From BBC • Feb. 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

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

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "by the board" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com