board

Universal Words noun, verb noun piece of wood 1 [C,U] a long thin piece of strong hard material, especially wood, used, for example, for making floors, building walls and roofs and making boats: He had ripped up the carpet, leaving only the bare boards. seealsoCHIPBOARD, FLOORBOARD, HARDBOARD, SKIRTINGBOARD 2 [C] (especially in compounds) a piece of wood, or other strong material, that is used for a special purpose: a blackboard * I'll write it up on the board. * (BrE) a noticeboard * (AmE) a bulletin board * The exam results went up on the board. * a diving board * She jumped off the top board. * a chessboard * He removed the figure from the board. in water sports 3 [C] = SAILBOARD, SURFBOARD group of people 4 [C+sing./pl.v.] a group of people who have power to make decisions and control a company or other organization: She has a seat on the board of directors. * The board is / are unhappy about falling sales. * members of the board * discussions at board level * the academic board (= for example, of a British university) * (AmE) the Board of Education (= a group of elected officials who are in charge of all the public schools in a particular area) organization 5 [C] used in the name of some organizations: the Welsh Tourist Board (= responsible for giving tourist information) * the Cambridge Examination Board (= responsible for organizing some public exams) meals 6 [U] the meals that are provided when you stay in a hotel, GUESTHOUSE, etc.; what you pay for the meals: He pays ｣90 a week board and lodging. seealsoBEDANDBOARD, FULLBOARD, HALFBOARD exams 7 (boards) [pl.] (old-fashioned, AmE) exams that you take when you apply to go to college in the US in theatre 8 (the boards) [pl.] (old-fashioned, informal) the STAGE in a theatre: His play is on the boards on Broadway. * She's treading the boards (= working as an actress). HELPNOTE There are many other compounds ending in board. You will find them at their place in the alphabet. IDIOMS across the board involving everyone or everything in a company, an industry, etc: The industry needs more investment across the board. * an across-the-board wage increase be above board (especially of a business arrangement) to be honest and open: Don't worry; the deal was completely above board. go by the board (BrE) (of plans or principles) to be rejected or ignored; to be no longer possible: All her efforts to be polite went by the board and she started to shout. on board on or in a ship, an aircraft or a train: Have the passengers gone on board yet? * (figurative) It's good to have you on board (= working with us) for this project. take sth on board to accept and understand an idea or a suggestion: I told her what I thought, but he didn't take my advice on board. moreatSWEEPv. verb get on plane / ship, etc. 1 to get on a ship, train, plane, bus, etc: [VN] The ship was boarded by customs officials. * [V] Passengers are waiting to board. 2 [V] (be boarding) when a plane or ship is boarding, it is ready for passengers to get on: Flight BA193 for Paris is now boarding at Gate 37. live somewhere 3 [V] ~ at... / with sb to live and take meals in sb's home, in return for payment: She always had one or two students boarding with her. * He boarded at his aunt's house until he found a place of his own. 4 [V] to live at a school during the TERM/SEMESTER PHRASALVERBS board sb out to arrange for sb to live somewhere away from their place of work, school, etc. in return for payment board sth<->up to cover a window, door, etc. with wooden boards: Most buildings along the street had been boarded up.