goggle-box
goggle-box
Pronunciation
goggle-box
IPA: /ˈɡɒɡl̩bɒks/
Syllable breakdown:
gog-: [ɡɒɡ] - The "gog" sound is a voiced velar plosive, followed by a short "o" sound, and ending with another voiced velar plosive.
-gle-: [l̩] - The "-gle" is a syllabic "l" sound, where the "l" itself forms the syllable.
-box: [bɒks] - The "-box" sound starts with a voiced bilabial plosive, followed by a short "o" sound, and ends with the "ks" sound, which is a voiceless velar plosive followed by a voiceless alveolar fricative.
Word Form Variations
Singular noun: goggle-box
Plural noun: goggle-boxes
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
A colloquial and often slightly derogatory term for a television set, typically implying that it is a source of passive entertainment or mindless viewing.
Synonyms: television, telly, tube, boob tube, idiot box, screen
Antonyms: (None directly applicable, as it's a specific object, but one could contrast it with more active forms of entertainment) e.g., books, board games, outdoor activities.
A slang term for the act of watching television for extended periods of time, often to the exclusion of other activities.
Synonyms: binge-watching, channel surfing, couch potato-ing
Antonyms: exercising, reading, socializing, working
Examples of Use
Books
In J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the Dursleys' love of the television is mentioned in contrast to the magical world, with the text using "goggle-box" to refer to their TV (2000).
Douglas Adams's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series occasionally uses "goggle-box" to describe television, fitting with its quirky, satirical tone (1979).
Newspapers and Online Publications
A Guardian article discussing a British TV personality's legacy might mention them as "a veteran of the goggle-box," a term that suggests a long career on television (May 2024).
An online op-ed on a technology news site could lament how smartphones and tablets have become the new "goggle-box," distracting people from real-world interactions (October 2023).
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms
In the British television comedy The Royle Family, the characters are famously seen sitting in front of the television, and the term "goggle-box" is used frequently in their dialogue to refer to the TV set (1998).
A podcaster on a show about pop culture might reminisce about growing up with only a few channels, saying, "We spent our entire Saturday mornings glued to the old goggle-box."
General Public Discourse
A parent might say to their children, "You've been staring at that goggle-box all day, go outside and get some fresh air."
During a conversation at a pub, one person could comment, "I can't believe how much time people spend watching the goggle-box nowadays; it's a real time-waster."
10 Famous Quotes Using Goggle-Box
"Don't sit there all day like a zombie, staring at that goggle-box!"
"I've been glued to the old goggle-box for the whole weekend, it's a disgrace."
"The sound of a football match on the goggle-box on a Saturday afternoon is the sound of home."
"We didn't have all this streaming nonsense; you had to gather around the family goggle-box to watch a film."
"My grandparents had a huge goggle-box that took up half the living room, but they only ever watched the news."
"You can keep your fancy smart-tech, I'll stick with my old goggle-box and a good book."
"She spent the whole day just vegetating in front of the goggle-box, which is a sign of a perfect holiday."
"The children are so mesmerized by the goggle-box that you could cook dinner without them even noticing."
"In my day, the goggle-box was a treat, not something that was on from dawn until dusk."
"Put away that phone and watch the film on the goggle-box with us."
Etymology
The word "goggle-box" is a classic example of a slang term that was created by combining two existing words to form a new, descriptive one. Its etymology is quite straightforward:
"Goggle": This part of the word comes from the verb "to goggle," which means to stare with wide-open eyes. Think of the way someone's eyes might fixate on something, often with a look of surprise, intense interest, or passive concentration.
"Box": This simply refers to the boxy shape of early television sets, which were large, wooden or plastic enclosures housing the screen and electronics.
So, the term "goggle-box" was literally a description of what a television was and what it did: it was a "box" that people would "goggle" at. It first appeared in the mid-20th century, becoming popular in British English. The first known use of "goggle-box" to mean a television set was around the 1950s, a time when television was becoming a common feature in many households. The term often carries a slightly critical or humorous tone, suggesting that watching TV is a passive or mindless activity.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Goggle-Box
Stuck to the goggle-box: To be watching television for a long time without moving.
A family of goggle-box addicts: A humorous way to describe a household where everyone watches a lot of television.
Goggle-box fodder: Content that is considered simple or undemanding, suitable for passive viewing.
The old goggle-box: An affectionate or nostalgic way to refer to an old television set.
A slave to the goggle-box: Someone who spends an excessive amount of time watching television.
Goggle-box guru: A person who is an expert on television shows and celebrity gossip.
To be tied to the goggle-box: To feel obligated to watch a specific television show.
Turn off the idiot box and talk to me: An idiom using a synonym to suggest that television is a mindless distraction.
He's a boob tube baby: A phrase describing someone who grew up watching a lot of television.
Goggle-box marathon: A binge-watching session of a television series.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of goggle-box from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
