board
board
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "board" is /bɔːrd/.
/b/ - voiced bilabial plosive
/ɔː/ - open-mid back rounded vowel (as in "four")
/r/ - voiced alveolar approximant (rhotic)
/d/ - voiced alveolar plosive
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: board
Plural Noun: boards
Verb (base form): board
Verb (third-person singular present): boards
Verb (present participle): boarding
Verb (past tense): boarded
Verb (past participle): boarded
Adjective: boarded (as in "boarded-up windows") - less common as a standalone adjective.
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: A long, thin, flat piece of wood or other hard material, typically used for flooring, building, or as a surface for various activities.
Synonyms: plank, panel, slab, timber
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms, as it describes a physical object)
Definition 2: A group of people constituted for the purpose of managing or overseeing an organization, company, or institution.
Synonyms: committee, council, panel, directorate
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms; perhaps "individual" in contrast to a group)
Definition 3: A flat surface, often rectangular, used for displaying information, playing games, or serving food.
Synonyms: chalkboard, whiteboard, display, platter, tray
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms)
Definition 4: Daily meals, especially those provided regularly in return for payment or as part of an arrangement (e.g., room and board).
Synonyms: provisions, victuals, sustenance, food
Antonyms: famine, starvation
Verb
Definition 1: To get on or into a ship, aircraft, or other vehicle.
Synonyms: embark, entrain, mount, ascend
Antonyms: disembark, alight, deplane, exit
Definition 2: To provide someone with regular meals and often lodging in exchange for payment.
Synonyms: lodge, house, accommodate, quarter
Antonyms: evict, expel, dislodge
Definition 3: To cover or seal (an opening) with boards.
Synonyms: plank, barricade, cover, seal
Antonyms: unboard, uncover, open
Examples of Use
Books:
"He hammered a board across the broken window, hoping it would hold against the coming storm." (Fictional novel, author's name omitted for generality)
"The board of directors met quarterly to discuss the company's financial performance and future strategies." (Business textbook, title omitted for generality)
Newspapers:
"Construction on the new community center will begin next month, with workers laying the first boards for the foundation." (Local newspaper, The Daily Herald)
"Passengers were asked to board flights an hour before departure time due to increased security checks." (The New York Times)
"The school board voted last night to approve the new curriculum changes despite some parental objections." (The Washington Post)
Online Publications:
"How to Choose the Right Cutting Board for Your Kitchen" (Food blog, Serious Eats)
"Tech giant announces new appointments to its advisory board" (Technology news website, TechCrunch)
"Travelers urged to board early for holiday flights amidst expected delays" (Airline industry news, Skift)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film (Dialogue): "All passengers, please board now." (From an airport scene in a recent action movie, e.g., Top Gun: Maverick)
Television (Sports Commentary): "He's got the puck, skates past the defense, and bangs it off the boards!" (Hockey game commentary, e.g., on ESPN)
Video Games (Instructions/UI): "Press X to board the vehicle." (On-screen prompt in many open-world video games, e.g., Grand Theft Auto V)
Music (Song Lyrics): "Packed my bags, got my ticket, ready to board that train." (Country song lyrics, artist's name omitted)
Social Media (Forum/Discussion Board): "Anyone else having trouble logging into the game? Check out the discussion board for solutions." (User post on a gaming forum or Reddit, e.g., r/gaming)
General Public Discourse:
"Let's grab a board game tonight – maybe Monopoly?" (Casual conversation among friends)
"He's going to board with his aunt next semester to save money on rent." (Discussion about living arrangements)
"Can you hand me that board? I need to prop up this picture frame." (Everyday request during household tasks)
"The kids love to use the whiteboard to draw; it's their favorite board." (Parent talking about their children's activities)
10 Famous Quotes Using Board
"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for." (John A. Shedd, Salt From My Attic) - This uses "board" implicitly through the idea of a ship, as ships are boarded.
"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures." (Henry Ward Beecher, Life Thoughts) - While not explicitly "board," the canvas or surface an artist paints on is often a board or analogous to one.
"I may not be a man of many words, but I know how to board a ship." (Traditional pirate saying, widely attributed)
"The price of liberty is eternal vigilance." (John Philpot Curran, Speech on the Right of Election, 1790) - This relates to the concept of a "board" in a governing sense, watching over principles.
"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea." (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Citadelle) - Implies the use of "boards" in ship construction.
"When you are on a great ship, you are responsible for yourself and the people around you. When you are on a tiny little rowboat, you are responsible for yourself and the people on the tiny little rowboat. The bigger the boat, the more responsibility you have." (Oprah Winfrey, interview, Vanity Fair) - Similar to Shedd's quote, uses the ship metaphor which is "boarded."
"You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete." (Richard Buckminster Fuller, widely attributed) - Can relate to building something new, which might involve "boards" or similar foundational elements.
"My favorite things in life don't cost any money. It's really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time." (Steve Jobs, interview, Playboy) - Could metaphorically relate to setting up a "board" or plan for how one uses their time.
"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts." (Attributed to Aristotle, Metaphysics) - Can be related to the concept of a "board" as a collective body being more effective than individuals.
"Put your shoulder to the wheel." (Proverb, widely used) - This implies action and effort, which could relate to physically moving or placing a "board" or similar object as part of a task.
Etymology
The word "board" has a long and interesting history, with its origins tracing back to very old Germanic languages.
The earliest known use of "board" in English comes from Old English (before 1150 AD), where it appeared as "bord." Its original meaning was quite straightforward: a flat piece of timber, a plank, or a flat surface. Think of a simple, sawn piece of wood.
Over time, this basic meaning expanded and evolved, giving us the many different uses of "board" we have today. This happened partly because of how these planks were used:
As a table: Since flat pieces of wood were often used to make tables, "board" also came to mean "table," especially one used for eating. This is where phrases like "room and board" (meaning food and lodging) or "board games" (games played on a tabletop) come from. The idea of a "board" as a place where food is served or business is conducted then led to meanings like a "board of directors" (a group of people meeting around a table to make decisions).
As the side of a ship: "Bord" in Old English also referred to the "side of a ship" or "border/rim." This is why we say "on board" a ship or "overboard." This nautical sense also gave rise to the verb "to board," meaning to get onto a ship (and later extended to trains, planes, etc.).
For covering: Because planks were used to cover things, the verb "to board up" (meaning to cover with planks) also developed.
So, while "board" started as a simple piece of wood, its various applications in daily life caused its meaning to branch out into many related ideas, from dining and governing to travel and construction.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Board
Above board: Honest and legitimate, without trickery.
On board:
Present or participating.
Agreeing with an idea or plan.
On a ship, plane, or other vehicle.
Go by the board: To be discarded or abandoned; to fail or be lost.
Across the board: Applying to all parts or members of a group or system; comprehensive.
Board game: A game played on a specially marked surface or "board."
Cutting board: A flat, protective surface on which to cut food.
To board up: To cover or seal an opening with wooden planks.
To board out: To arrange for someone to live and be provided with meals, often away from home.
Sweatboard: (Lesser-known, but refers to a board on which one might sweat, or metaphorically, a difficult task)
To put something on the board: (Lesser-known, can mean to make something visible or officially recorded, similar to "getting it on the record").
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of board from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
