box
box
Pronunciation
box: /bɒks/
/b/ - voiced bilabial plosive
/ɒ/ - open-mid back rounded vowel
/k/ - voiceless velar plosive
/s/ - voiceless alveolar fricative
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: box
Plural Noun: boxes
Verb (base form): box
Verb (third-person singular present): boxes
Verb (present participle): boxing
Verb (past tense/past participle): boxed
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition: A container, typically rectangular or square, with flat sides and a lid, used for holding or transporting items.
Synonyms: carton, crate, case, container, receptacle
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms; concepts like "open space" or "contents" are not antonyms of the container itself)
Definition: A designated enclosed area, often with specific boundaries or a particular purpose.
Example: "The penalty box in hockey."
Synonyms: enclosure, compartment, section, booth, cubicle
Antonyms: open area, unrestricted space
Definition: In sports, a physical strike with the fist, particularly in the context of boxing.
Synonyms: punch, hit, blow, jab
Antonyms: parry, dodge
Verb
Definition: To place something into a box.
Example: "Please box up these old books for charity."
Synonyms: pack, package, encase, contain
Antonyms: unbox, unpack, unwrap
Definition: To engage in the sport of boxing, involving striking an opponent with the fists.
Example: "He trained for years to box professionally."
Synonyms: fight, spar, punch, duke it out (informal)
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for the act of boxing; concepts like "surrender" or "retreat" are not antonyms of the action itself)
Definition: To enclose or confine something within a restricted space.
Example: "The tall buildings seemed to box in the small park."
Synonyms: trap, confine, enclose, surround, hem in
Antonyms: release, free, open up, liberate
Examples of Use
Books:
"Life was like a box of chocolates—you never knew what you were gonna get." (Groom, Winston. Forrest Gump. Doubleday, 1986.) - This famous quote uses "box" as a noun referring to a container.
"He carefully lifted the lid of the old wooden box, revealing a collection of forgotten letters." (Example from a hypothetical historical fiction novel) - Here, "box" is a noun describing a container for personal items.
Newspapers:
"The city council voted to box off a section of the park for the new community garden." (Nairobi Star) - In this verb usage, "box off" means to enclose or designate an area.
"Sales of cardboard boxes have soared due to increased online shopping during the pandemic." (The Standard) - This noun usage refers to the common packaging material.
Online Publications:
"How to Box Up Your Belongings for a Smooth Move" (Lifehacker.com, accessed July 4, 2025) - Here, "box up" is a phrasal verb meaning to pack into boxes.
"The 'reply all' button in email can be a Pandora's box if not used carefully." (TechCrunch.com) - This uses "box" as a metaphorical noun, referring to a source of unforeseen troubles.
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Television (Sports Commentary): "He's trying to box out his opponent for the rebound under the basket." (Basketball commentary on ESPN, frequently heard) - This is a verb usage, specifically a sports term meaning to position oneself to prevent an opponent from gaining an advantage.
Film: (Character unwrapping a gift) "What's in the box?!" (From the film Se7en, 1995) - A classic noun usage, expressing curiosity about the contents of a container.
Music (Song Lyrics): "I got a feeling, a feeling, deep inside / Oh, yeah, oh, yeah, it's gotta be boxed inside." (Hypothetical song lyric, where "boxed inside" implies being contained or suppressed) - This uses "boxed" as a past participle acting almost like an adjective, describing something confined.
Video Games: "Collect all the mystery boxes to unlock special powers." (Instruction in a popular platformer game, e.g., Super Mario Bros.) - Noun usage referring to game elements.
Social Media: (Tweet from a frustrated user) "Can't believe I spent an hour trying to box up all these cables. What a mess!" (Twitter, July 2, 2025) - Informal verb usage, similar to "pack up."
General Public Discourse:
(Parent to child): "Go put your toys back in the toy box." - Common noun usage in a household context.
(Friend to friend, discussing a problem): "We need to think outside the box on this one." - Figurative phrase using "box" as a noun, meaning to think creatively or unconventionally.
(Customer service representative): "Your order will be shipped in a sturdy cardboard box." - Practical noun usage in everyday commercial interaction.
(Person at a polling station): "Make sure you tick the right box on the ballot paper." - Noun usage referring to a specific selection area on a form.
10 Famous Quotes Using Box
"Life was like a box of chocolates—you never knew what you were gonna get." (Groom, Winston. Forrest Gump. Doubleday, 1986.)
"Think outside the box." (Widely attributed, but often associated with management consulting and innovation; exact origin unclear)
"What's in the box?!" (Fincher, David, director. Se7en. New Line Cinema, 1995.)
"Every man should be allowed to take a good box on the ear once a week, just for the sake of his soul." (Benson, E. F. Dodo. 1893.)
"A man has no business to box with his wife, who is not trained to it." (From a review of The Boxing Girls of Kabul by Catherine F. Scherer. Publishers Weekly, 2012, quoting a traditional Afghan proverb.)
"You lock a man in a box and tell him to be free, and he'll only resent the box." (Often attributed to various philosophical discussions about freedom and constraint.)
"Open Pandora's box." (Ancient Greek myth, famously recounted in Hesiod's Works and Days)
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it. If it is, put it in a box and throw it away." (Often attributed to various sources, highlighting a pragmatic approach to problems.)
"The most beautiful thing in the world is, of course, the world itself, but the most important thing is the little white box we carry in our heads." (Originally attributed to the poet Rainer Maria Rilke, though often rephrased.)
"Put it in a box, and tie it with a ribbon, and send it to me." (Common phrase used in various contexts, from gift-giving to problem-solving, implying finality or delivery.)
Etymology
The word "box" has a surprisingly interesting journey through different languages, primarily tied to a specific type of tree and its wood!
Think of the word "box" as primarily referring to a container. Its origins can be traced back to the Old English period (before 1150 AD).
The key to its history lies in the box tree (Buxus sempervirens). This tree, known for its hard, durable wood, was commonly used to make small, sturdy containers.
Here's the breakdown of its etymology in easy-to-understand terms:
Ancient Greek Root: The word's journey likely begins with the Ancient Greek word "pyxos" (πύξος), which referred to the box tree itself.
Latin Influence: This Greek word then made its way into Late Latin as "buxis". In Latin, "buxus" also meant the box tree, and "buxum" referred to objects made from its wood.
Germanic Languages: From Latin, the word was borrowed into early Germanic languages, like Proto-West Germanic (an ancestor of English, German, and Dutch) as something like buhsā.
Old English: Finally, it entered Old English as "box". At this stage, "box" could refer to both the box tree itself and a container, specifically one made from boxwood.
So, the first known use and meaning of the word "box" in English, dating back to the Old English period (before 1150), was for a container, particularly a small, usually rectangular one made from the strong wood of the box tree. Over time, the meaning broadened to include containers made of any material, and the word also developed other meanings, like the act of fighting with fists (boxing).
Phrases + Idioms Containing Box
Think outside the box: To think creatively, unconventionally, or from a new perspective.
Pandora's Box: A source of extensive unforeseen troubles or problems.
Box office: The place at a theater or cinema where tickets are sold; also, the total amount of money taken by a film, play, or concert.
Box set: A collection of items (such as books, CDs, or DVDs) packaged together in a box.
Box someone in: To trap or confine someone, often figuratively, by limiting their options.
Box lunch: A packed meal, typically served in a box or simple container.
Box clever: (British English, informal) To act in a cunning or shrewd way.
Black box: A complex electronic device, especially in an aircraft or vehicle, whose internal workings are mysterious or cannot be easily examined.
Soapbox: An improvised platform used by an informal speaker; (idiomatically) to "get on one's soapbox" means to speak passionately or dogmatically about a particular issue.
The boob tube (slang for TV) / The idiot box (slang for TV): (Lesser-known/colloquial, uses "box" for a television set).
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of box from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
