box

Universal Words noun, verb noun container 1 [C] (especially in compounds) a container made of wood, cardboard, metal, etc. with a flat stiff base and sides and often a lid, used especially for holding solid things: She kept all the letters in a box. * a money box * cardboard boxes * a toolbox * a matchbox 2 [C] a box and its contents: a box of chocolates / matches in theatre / court 3 [C] a small area in a theatre or court of law separated off from where other people sit: a box at the opera * the witness / jury box hut 4 [C] a small hut used for a particular purpose: a sentry / signal box * (BrE) a telephone box * I called him from the phone box on the corner. shape 5 [C] a small square or RECTANGLE drawn on a page for people to write information in: Put a cross in the appropriate box. * to tick / check a box television 6 (the box) [sing.] (informal) the television: What's on the box tonight? on road 7 [C] (BrE) = BOXJUNCTION: Only traffic turning right may enter the box. in sport 8 [C] an area on a sports field that is marked by lines and used for a particular purpose: (BrE) He was fouled in the box (= the penalty box). for mail 9 [C] = BOXNUMBER seealsoPOBOX protection 10 [C] (BrE) a piece of plastic that a man wears over his sex organs to protect them while he is playing a sport, especially cricket tree / wood 11 [C,U] a small EVERGREEN tree or bush with thick dark leaves, used especially for garden HEDGES 12 (also boxwood) [U] the hard wood of this bush IDIOMS give sb a box on the ears (old-fashioned) to hit sb with your hand on the side of their head as a punishment moreatTRICKn. verb fight 1 [V, VN] to fight sb in the sport of boxing put in container 2 [VN] ~ sth (up) to put sth in a box IDIOMS box sb's ears (old-fashioned) to hit sb with your hand on the side of their head as a punishment PHRASALVERBS box sb/sth in 1 to prevent sb/sth from being able to move by surrounding them with people, vehicles, etc: Someone had parked behind us and boxed us in. 2 [usuallypassive] (of a situation) to prevent sb from doing what they want by creating unnecessary problems: She felt boxed in by all their petty rules.