board

noun

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\ ˈbȯrd

Definition of board

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a piece of sawed lumber of little thickness and a length greatly exceeding its width nailed boards over the windows

2a : a surface, frame, or device for posting notices Pin the photo to the board.

b : blackboard wrote the assignment on the board

c : a flat usually rectangular piece of material (such as wood) designed for a special purpose: such as

(1) : surfboard

(2) : skateboard … Tony Hawk has just legitimized the youthful rebellion they'd abandoned along with their boards.— Sean Pamphilon

(3) : springboard sense 1 Do a backflip off the board.

(4) boards plural : skis a new pair of boards

d basketball : backboard sense 1 a rebound off the boards also : a rebound in basketball averaging 7.8 boards per game

e : switchboard

3a(1) : a group of persons having managerial, supervisory, investigatory, or advisory powers She is on the bank's board of directors. board of examiners a board member

(2) : an examination given by an examining board —often used in plural pass the medical boards

b : league, association local board of realtors

c : daily meals especially when furnished for pay paid for her room and board

d : a table spread with a meal offered to help clear the board

e : a table at which a council or magistrates sit sat at the council board

f card games

(1) : the exposed hands of all the players in a stud poker (see stud entry 1 sense 5) game

(2) : an exposed dummy (see dummy entry 1 sense 2a) hand in bridge

g archaic : table sense 1a

4 electronics : a sheet of insulating material carrying circuit elements and terminals so that it can be inserted in an electronic apparatus (such as a computer)

5 boards plural, ice hockey : the low wall enclosing a hockey rink

6 computers : message board sense 2 Add a link to the board.

7a : cardboard

b : the stiff foundation piece for the side of a book cover

8 nautical : the side of a ship

9 boards plural, theater : stage sense 2a(2) one of the best actors that ever trod the boards

10 finance : a securities or commodities exchange (see exchange entry 1 sense 5a)

11 obsolete : border, edge

across the board

: so as to include or affect all classes or categories cut spending across the board also : in all areas or respects considered an average player across the board

on board

1 : aboard

2 : in support of a particular objective needed to get more senators on board for the bill to pass

board

verb

boarded; boarding; boards

Definition of board (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1a : to go aboard (something, such as a ship, train, airplane, or bus) boarded a bus to Chicago

b : to put aboard an airliner boarding passengers

2 : to cover or seal off with a long, thin, and often narrow piece of sawed lumber : to cover or seal off with boards (see board entry 1 sense 1) —usually used with up board up a windowboard up a house

3 : to provide with regular meals and often also lodging usually for compensation supplemented her income by boarding college students

4 ice hockey : to check (a player) into the low wooden wall enclosing a hockey rink : to check (a player) into the boards (see board entry 1 sense 5)

5 archaic : to come up against or alongside (a ship) usually to attack

6 archaic : accost, address boarded me with some light remark— W. A. White

intransitive verb

1 : to receive meals or lodging bachelors who board at the inn specifically : to live at a boarding school

2 informal : to ride a skateboard, snowboard, etc. At 12, Danny joined his 16-year-old brother … on the slopes, boarding every day after school.— Scott DeSimon

3a : to get into or onto a means of transportation (such as an airplane, bus, ship, etc.) A bit late, we hurried to the gate just in time to board.— Ellen Creager

b : to put or allow passengers into or onto such a means of transportation … before my plane boarded I wandered into a duty-free shop to pick up a few last-minute presents.— Ted Mooney

Other Words from board Synonyms More Example Sentences Phrases Containing board Learn More About board

Examples of board in a Sentence

Noun They nailed some boards over the broken window. They covered the board in fabric and pinned some photographs to it. the board that is used to play games like chess and checkers I saw a notice on the board calling for volunteers. Write the answers on the board. She is on the town's planning board. The parole board has decided that the prisoner is not yet ready for release. Verb You must have a ticket in order to board the train. The pirates tried to board the ship, but we fought them off. We're supposed to board at 10:15. We're now boarding all passengers. The flight is about to begin boarding. Passengers should remain in the boarding area. The caretaker boarded the window. They board guests during the summer season. Many students board at the college. See More

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The matter now goes to the full board of governors, which is expected to vote this week to end the tenure of the only American president in the bank’s 62-year history. — Mary Anastasia O’grady, WSJ, 25 Sep. 2022 In the second-lowest total on Tipico Sportsbook’s board (40.5), expect the re-energized Bears to outclass Houston. — Richard Morin, USA TODAY, 23 Sep. 2022 Colorado has been outscored 128-30 on the way to its 0-3 start, forcing athletic director Rick George to address swirling frustration in a statement that also included some rare bulletin-board material from a winless team. — Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2022 About 80 Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian migrants were on board, of whom some 40 were rescued, seven were confirmed dead and around 30 officially remain missing. — Reuters, NBC News, 23 Sep. 2022 But the movie, whatever its pile of ideas about love, gender constructs, and modern living, never really transcends Stepford mood-board pastiche. — Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 23 Sep. 2022 Charcuterie lovers will flip for this gorgeous wooden cheese serving board, which you can get personalized with the couple's initials and their engagement date inside of a tree. — Corinne Sullivan, Woman's Day, 22 Sep. 2022 Options range from a small board ($65) to an extra-large one, which sells for $150 and feeds about 14 people. — Amanda Yeager, Baltimore Sun, 22 Sep. 2022 Daily management will still be led by the company’s board of directors and CEO, Ryan Gellert. — Eamon Barrett, Fortune, 21 Sep. 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb With the storm threatening to batter their homes, Carly and the rest of her community are faced with important decisions: board up their windows or flee. — Theara Coleman, The Week, 22 Sep. 2022 Twelve singles will board the ship, complete with its own captain, bartender, and cruise director (a nod to classic characters from the original series). — Keith Langston, EW.com, 16 Sep. 2022 Spann Elementary School students board a school bus after a full day of in-school learning in Jackson, Mississippi, on Tuesday. — Phil Helsel, NBC News, 7 Sep. 2022 After a few days, the group would board a private charter to buzz them over to the country’s Caribbean side. — Donna Bulseco, WSJ, 2 Sep. 2022 Customers disembarking at Metra’s Union Station or Millennium Park Station can board CTA’s No. 151 buses to Oak Street and North Avenue beaches. — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2022 Passengers can board at any RED SMART or FAST bus stops along Woodward. — Chandra Fleming, Detroit Free Press, 17 Aug. 2022 For the price of a ticket, board the ferry to Spectacle Island for a night of live music from The Thistle Brothers, activities like lawn games and a scavenger hunt, and access to the island’s trails and incredible sunset views. — BostonGlobe.com, 11 Aug. 2022 President Joe Biden walks to board Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, on his way to his Rehoboth Beach, Del., home after his most recent COVID-19 isolation Aug. 7. — Erin Prater, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'board.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries Near board

boar's nest

board

boardable

Statistics for board

Last Updated

29 Sep 2022

Cite this Entry

“Board.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/board. Accessed 4 Oct. 2022.

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More Definitions for board

board

noun

\ ˈbȯrd

Kids Definition of board

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a sawed piece of lumber that is much broader and longer than it is thick

2 : a usually rectangular piece of rigid material used for some special purpose a diving board a game board

3 : blackboard

4 : a number of persons having authority to manage or direct something the school board

5 : meals given at set times for a price He paid $20 a week for room and board.

6 boards plural : the low wooden wall enclosing a hockey rink

7 : a sheet of insulating material carrying electronic parts (as for a computer)

on board

: aboard entry 1

board

verb

boarded; boarding

Kids Definition of board (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : to go aboard We boarded the plane in New York.

2 : to cover with boards The windows were boarded up.

3 : to give or get meals and a place to live for a price The students board at the college. They board guests in the summer.

board

noun

\ ˈbō(ə)rd, ˈbȯ(ə)rd

Medical Definition of board

1 : a group of persons having supervisory, managerial, investigatory, or advisory powers medical licensing boards a board of health

2 : an examination given by an examining board —often used in plural passed his medical boards

board

noun, often capitalized

Legal Definition of board

1a : a group of individuals having managerial, supervisory, investigatory, or advisory powers over a public or private business, trust, or other organization or institution Board of Regents Board of Bar Overseers

b : board of directors

2a : a group of citizens elected to administer the business of or an aspect of the business of a political unit (as a town or county) a board of selectmen

b : a federal, state, or local government agency — see also National Labor Relations Board

3 : a securities or commodities exchange — see also board of trade