box

box¹ W1S1 [bɔks US ba:ks] n

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1¦(container)¦

2¦(amount)¦

3¦(shape)¦

4¦(in a court/theatre etc)¦

5¦(small building)¦

6¦(at a post office)¦

7¦(sports field)¦

8¦(protection)¦

9¦(tree)¦

10¦(television)¦

11 be out of your box

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[Date: 900-1000; : Latin; Origin: buxus, from Greek pyxis, from pyxos type of tree, whose wood was used for making boxes]

1.) ¦(CONTAINER)¦

a container for putting things in, especially one with four stiff straight sides

cardboard/wooden/plastic etc box

▪ a strong cardboard box

toolbox/shoebox/matchbox etc

(=a box used for keeping tools etc in)

2.) ¦(AMOUNT)¦ also boxful

the amount of something contained in a box

box of

▪ a box of chocolates

3.) ¦(SHAPE)¦

a) a small square on a page for people to write information in

▪ Put an 'X' in the box if you would like to join our mailing list.

b) a ↑square or ↑rectangle on a page where information is given or where an answer can be written

▪ The box on the left gives a short history of the battle.

4.) ¦(IN A COURT/THEATRE ETC)¦

a small area of a theatre or court that is separate from where other people are sitting

▪ the jury box

▪ a box at the Palace Theatre

5.) ¦(SMALL BUILDING)¦

a small building or structure used for a particular purpose

= ↑booth

▪ a sentry box

telephone box

BrE

6.) ¦(AT A POST OFFICE)¦

box 25/450 etc

a box with a number in a ↑post office, where you can have letters etc sent instead of to your own address

= ↑PO Box

7.) ¦(SPORTS FIELD)¦ [C usually singular]

a special area of a sports field that is marked by lines and used for a particular purpose

▪ the penalty box

8.) ¦(PROTECTION)¦ BrE

a piece of plastic that a man wears over his sex organs to protect them when he is playing a sport, especially ↑cricket

9.) ¦(TREE)¦ [U and C]

a small tree that keeps its leaves in winter and is often planted around the edge of a garden or field

▪ a box hedge

10.) ¦(TELEVISION)¦

the box informal

the television

▪ What's on the box tonight?

11.) be out of your box

BrE informal to be very drunk or have taken an illegal drug

→↑black box

box ²

box² v

[Sense: 1,4; Date: 1300-1400; Origin: Origin unknown.]

[Sense: 2-3; Date: 1400-1500; Origin: BOX¹]

1.) [I and T]

to fight someone as a sport by hitting them with your closed hands inside big leather ↑gloves

2.) also box up [T]

to put things in boxes

▪ Want to help me box up the Christmas tree lights?

→↑boxed

3.) [T]

to draw a box around something on a page

4.) box sb's ears

old-fashioned to hit someone on the side of their head

box in [box sb/sth<=>in] phr v

1.) to surround someone or something so that they are unable to move freely

▪ Someone had parked right behind them, boxing them in.

2.) feel boxed in

a) to feel that you cannot do what you want to do because a person or situation is limiting you

▪ Married for only a year, Connie already felt boxed in.

b) to feel that you cannot move freely, because you are in a small space

box off [box sth<=>off] phr v

to separate a particular area from a larger one by putting walls around it

▪ We're going to box off that corner to get extra storage space.