box
noun · verb
Simple meaning
A square-shaped space, or a small separate compartment
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
bahksIPA pronunciation (US)
ˈbɑks
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
A cuboid space; a cuboid container, often with a hinged lid.
A compartment (as a drawer) of an item of furniture used for storage, such as a cupboard, a shelf, etc.
A cuboid container and its contents; as much as fills such a container.
A (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid
“He rummaged through a box of spare parts.”
A compartment or receptacle for receiving items.
A compartment to sit inside in an auditorium, courtroom, theatre, or other building.
verb
transitive
To place inside a box; to pack in one or more boxes.
transitive
Usually followed by in: to surround and enclose in a way that restricts movement; to corner, to hem in.
transitive
To mix two containers of paint of similar colour to ensure that the color is identical.
transitive
To strike with the fists; to punch.
Engage in a boxing match
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- A1 · Beginner (estimated)
- Frequency
- Very Common
- Typical Use
- General English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: A (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid
Used this way, box is a common word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“He rummaged through a box of spare parts.”
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Usage note
It most often appears in the pattern “box of …”, which is worth copying when you use it.
Natural pattern: box of …
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use box
- “He rummaged through a box of spare parts.”noun
- “He gave her a box of chocolates.”noun
- “The sentry stayed in his box to avoid the cold.”noun
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
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Words can change meaning depending on context.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.