box 1 (b?ks)n.1. a. A container typically constructed with four sides perpendicular to the base and often having a lid or cover.b. The amount or quantity that such a container can hold.2. A square or rectangle: Draw a box around your answer.3. a. A separated compartment in a public place of entertainment, such as a theater or stadium, for the accommodation of a small group.b. An area of a public place, such as a courtroom or stadium, marked off and restricted for use by persons performing a specific function: a jury box.4. A small structure serving as a shelter: a sentry box.5. Chiefly British A small country house used as a sporting lodge: a shooting box.6. A box stall.7. The raised seat for the driver of a coach or carriage.8. Baseball a. An area on a diamond marked by lines designating where the batter may stand.b. Any of various designated areas for other team members, such as the pitcher, catcher, and coaches.9. Sports a. A penalty box.b. The penalty area on a soccer field.10. Printing Featured printed matter enclosed by hairlines, a border, or white space and placed within or between text columns.11. A hollow made in the side of a tree for the collection of sap.12. A post office box.13. a. An inbox.b. An outbox.14. a. An insulating, enclosing, or protective casing or part in a machine.b. A signaling device enclosed in a casing: an alarm box.15. A cable box.16. a. Informal A television.b. A very large portable radio.17. Chiefly British A gift or gratuity, especially one given at Christmas.18. An awkward or perplexing situation; a predicament.19. Vulgar Slang The vulva and the vagina.tr.v. boxed, box·ing, box·es 1. To pack in a box.2. To confine in or as if in a box.3. To border or enclose with or as if with a box: Key sections of the report are boxed off.4. To provide a housing or case for (a machine part, for example).5. a. To limit the activity or influence of by or as if by creating a restrictive structure or outlining a territory: The legislature was boxed in by its earlier decisions.b. Sports To block (a competitor or opponent) from advancing, especially to hinder an opponent from getting a rebound in basketball by placing oneself between the opponent and the basket: was boxed out by the tallest player on the team; was boxed in on the homestretch.6. Nautical To boxhaul.7. To cut a hole in (a tree) for the collection of sap.8. To blend (paint) by pouring alternately between two containers.9. To change the shape of (a structure, such as a wall) by applying lath and plaster or boarding.Idioms: box the compass1. To name the 32 points of the compass in proper order.2. To make a complete revolution or reversal. in a box Informal In a very difficult or restrictive situation. outside/outside of the box In a strikingly unconventional or original way: thinking outside the box.[Middle English, from Old English, from Late Latin buxis, from Greek puxis, from puxos, box tree.]box 2 (b?ks)n. A slap or blow with the hand or fist: a box on the ear.v. boxed, box·ing, box·es v.tr.1. To hit with the hand or fist.2. Sports To take part in a boxing match with.v.intr. To fight with the fists or in a boxing match.[Middle English.]box 3 (b?ks)n. pl. box or box·es 1. a. Any of several evergreen shrubs or trees of the genus Buxus, especially the Eurasian species B. sempervirens, widely cultivated as a hedge plant and having opposite, leathery, dark green leaves and small whitish flowers.b. The hard, light yellow wood of any of these plants, formerly widely used to make musical instruments, inlays, engraving blocks, and measuring instruments. Also called boxwood.2. Any of various other shrubs or trees with similar foliage or timber, especially several types of eucalyptus.[Middle English, from Old English, from Latin buxus, from Greek puxos.]American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.box (b?ks) n1. a receptacle or container made of wood, cardboard, etc, usually rectangular and having a removable or hinged lid2. 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. (Theatre) a separate compartment in a public place for a small group of people, as in a theatre or certain restaurants6. (Law) an enclosure within a courtroom. See jury box, witness box7. (Horse Training, Riding & Manège) a compartment for a horse in a stable or a vehicle. See loosebox, horsebox8. (Hunting) Brit a small country house occupied by sportsmen when following a field sport, esp shooting9. (Mechanical Engineering) a. a protective housing for machinery or mechanical partsb. the contents of such a boxc. (in combination): a gearbox. 10. (General Sporting Terms) a shaped device of light tough material worn by sportsmen to protect the genitals, esp in cricket11. (Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) a section of printed matter on a page, enclosed by lines, a border, or white space12. 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. (Computer Science) the central part of a computer or the casing enclosing it14. (Soccer) short for penalty box15. (Baseball) baseball either of the designated areas in which the batter may stand16. (Automotive Engineering) the raised seat on which the driver sits in a horse-drawn coach17. NZ a wheeled container for transporting coal in a mine18. (Agriculture) Austral and NZ an accidental mixing of herds or flocks19. (Agriculture) a hole cut into the base of a tree to collect the sap20. short for Christmas box21. (Agriculture) a device for dividing water into two or more ditches in an irrigation system22. an informal name for a coffin23. taboo slang the female genitals24. be a box of birds NZ to be very well indeed25. the box informal Brit television26. think outside the box think out of the box to think in a different, innovative, or original manner, esp with regard to business practices, products, systems, etc27. tick all the boxes to satisfy all of the apparent requirements for success28. out of the box informal Austral outstanding or excellent: a day out of the box. vb29. (tr) to put into a box30. (tr; usually foll by in or up) to prevent from moving freely; confine31. (Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) printing (foll by: in) to enclose (text) within a ruled frame32. (Agriculture) (tr) to make a cut in the base of (a tree) in order to collect the sap33. (Agriculture) (tr) Austral and NZ to mix (flocks or herds) accidentally34. (sometimes foll by: up) NZ to confuse: I am all boxed up. 35. (Nautical Terms) nautical short for boxhaul36. (Nautical Terms) box the compass nautical to name the compass points in order[Old English box, from Latin buxus from Greek puxos box3] ?box?like adjbox (b?ks) vb1. (Boxing) (tr) to fight (an opponent) in a boxing match2. (Boxing) (intr) to engage in boxing3. (tr) to hit (a person) with the fist; punch or cuff4. box clever to behave in a careful and cunning wayna punch with the fist, esp on the ear[C14: of uncertain origin; perhaps related to Dutch boken to shunt, push into position]box (b?ks) n1. (Plants) 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 Buxaceae2. (Plants) the wood of this tree. See boxwood13. (Plants) any of several trees the timber or foliage of which resembles this tree, esp various species of Eucalyptus with rough bark[Old English, from Latin buxus]Collins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014box1 (b?ks) n. 1. a container, case, or receptacle, usu. rectangular, and often with a lid or cover. 2. the quantity contained in a box. 3. Chiefly Brit. a gift in a box. 4. a compartment for the accommodation of a small number of people, as in a theater. 5. a small enclosure in a courtroom for witnesses or the jury. 6. a small shelter: a sentry’s box. 7. Brit. a. a small house or cottage, as for use while hunting: a shooting box. b. a telephone booth. 8. sc box stall. 9. the box, television. 10. a part of a printed page containing material enclosed in a border, as an obituary or classified advertisement. 11. any enclosing, protective case or housing. 12. any of various spaces on a baseball diamond marking the playing positions of the pitcher, catcher, batter, or coaches. 13. Informal. boom box. 14. Slang. a coffin. 15. Vulgar Slang. the vagina or vulva. 16. the driver’s seat on a coach. 17. the section of a wagon in which passengers or parcels are carried. v.t. 18. to put into a box. 19. to enclose or confine as if in a box (often fol. by in or up). 20. to furnish with a box. 21. to form into a box or the shape of a box. 22. to block so as to keep from passing or achieving a better position (often fol. by in). 23. to group together for consideration as one unit: to box bills in the legislature. 24. to enclose or conceal (a structure) as with boarding. [before 1000; Middle English, Old English, probably