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board

n. · v.
US //ˈbɔɹd// UK //bˈɔːd// board
  1. 1 flat piece of material (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    a long, thin, flat piece of wood or other hard material used for building things.

    a relatively long, wide, and thin piece of timber or synthetic material used in construction or furniture-making.

    Example

    He used a long wooden board to fix the hole in the fence.

    Example

    The carpenter selected several oak boards, ensuring the grain patterns matched before he began constructing the tabletop.
  2. 2 governing group (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a group of people who manage or control a company or organization.

    an official body of administrators or directors appointed to manage the affairs of an organization or institution.

    Example

    The board of directors met to discuss the company's future plans.

    Example

    The board voted unanimously to approve the merger, citing the potential for significant market expansion in the coming fiscal year.
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  1. 3 surface for games or writing (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    a flat surface used for playing games like chess, or for writing on with chalk or markers.

    a flat surface marked for a specific purpose, such as a board game or a vertical surface for classroom instruction.

    Example

    The teacher wrote the homework instructions on the board at the front of the room.

    Example

    He carefully moved his knight across the board, anticipating his opponent's next defensive maneuver.
  2. 4 meals and lodging (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the meals that are provided when you stay at a hotel or school.

    regular meals provided in return for payment or services, often paired with 'room'.

    Example

    The cost of the university hostel includes both room and board.

    Example

    The contract specified that the seasonal workers would receive a modest weekly wage in addition to full room and board.

    Usage

    Commonly used in the phrase 'room and board'.
  3. 5 online forum (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Informal Computing

    a place on the internet where people can post messages and discuss topics.

    an online discussion site or message board where users can post and read digital content.

    Example

    I found a great tip for fixing my bike on an online message board.

    Example

    The community board became a hub for technical support, with experienced users helping newcomers troubleshoot software issues.
  4. 6 to enter a vehicle (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    to get onto a plane, ship, train, or bus.

    to enter or go onto a ship, aircraft, or other public vehicle. Transitive — takes a direct object.

    Example

    Passengers should be ready to board the plane in ten minutes.

    Example

    The commuters waited patiently behind the yellow line until the conductor gave the signal to board the train.
  5. 7 to live and eat (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to pay to live in a house and have your meals provided there.

    to receive regular meals and lodging in return for payment. Often used as an intransitive verb.

    Example

    During the winter, the students board at the school instead of traveling home.

    Example

    She decided to board with a local family to improve her language skills through daily conversation at-home conversation.
Etymology 1

A wooden board Board (duplicate bridge) From Middle English boord, boorde, bord, bourd, burd, from Old English bord, from Proto-West Germanic bord, from Proto-Germanic burdą (“board, plank; edge; table”), from Proto-Indo-European bʰers- (“tip, top”) + -dʰh₁eti or bʰerH- (“to pierce; to strike”) + -dʰh₁eti. The senses "food" and "council" are by metonymy from the sense "table." Cognates Cognate with Scots buird (“board; table”), Yola borde (“table”), West Frisian boerd (“board”), Dutch bord (“dish, plate; board, plank; sign”), boord (“border, boundary; bank, shore”), German Bord (“shelf”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish bord (“plank; table”), Elfdalian buord (“table”), Faroese and Icelandic borð (“board, plank; table”), Gothic 𐌱𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌳 (baurd, “board, plank”) (whence 𐍆𐍉𐍄𐌿𐌱𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌳 (fōtubaurd, “footstool”).

Etymology 2

From backboard.

Word family
Idioms6 entries

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