box
/bɒks/ (bre, ipa) · /bɑːks/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbäks/ (ame, mw)
box — noun
1. a hard-sided thing, usually square or rectangular, used to hold or carry objects
a hard-sided thing, usually square or rectangular, used to hold or carry objects and often closed with a lid.
Noa kept old photos in a blue box under her bed.
pattern: in a box
A damp delivery box sat outside Priya's apartment door until noon.
collocation: delivery box
The birthday cake sat in a pink box by the counter.
Hiro found a metal box full of screws in the garage.
文法句型
in a box
open a box
a box of [things]
用法筆記
This is the basic physical-object sense. Distinguish from sense 2, where box means the amount inside one box rather than the container itself.
常見錯誤
2. the amount inside one box, or one filled box taken as a unit for selling, moving
the amount inside one box, or one filled box taken as a unit for selling, moving, or counting.
We ordered two boxes of oranges from the farm.
pattern: box of [goods]
The clinic used one box of masks every day.
Half a box of pasta was enough for dinner.
One box of tiles covered the bathroom floor.
文法句型
a box of oranges
half a box of pasta
two boxes of [goods]
用法筆記
Common in shopping, cooking, and moving. Here the focus is quantity, not the shape or material of the container.
常見錯誤
3. a square or rectangular area marked by lines on paper, a screen, a road, or a sp
a square or rectangular area marked by lines on paper, a screen, a road, or a sports field for a special job.
Tick the small box next to your email address.
pattern: tick the box
A red box appeared around the spelling mistake.
box on a screen
After the trip, the referee pointed to the box for a penalty kick.
At rush hour, drivers must not stop inside the yellow box.
文法句型
tick the box
a box on the screen
inside the yellow box
用法筆記
This sense covers form boxes, screen boxes, traffic boxes, and lined areas in sport. Distinguish from senses 5 and 6, which are enclosed places with walls or seats.
常見錯誤
4. a hard cup a male player wears over the sex organs for safety in sports.
a hard cup a male player wears over the sex organs for safety in sports.
Ravi adjusted his box before the baseball game started.
pattern: wear a box
The young batter forgot his box and borrowed one.
Eli wore a hard box under his shorts at hockey practice.
Parents bought Ben a larger box for next season.
- athletic cup
a clearer modern term, especially in North American sports.
- protector
a broader word that can refer to different kinds of protective gear.
文法句型
wear a box
forget your box
a larger box
用法筆記
Used mainly in sports contexts such as baseball, cricket, or hockey. In American English, athletic cup is a more explicit name.
5. a very small enclosed place with walls, used for one person or one job.
a very small enclosed place with walls, used for one person or one job.
The guard sat in a glass box by the gate.
collocation: glass box
A phone box stood beside the rainy bus stop.
compound: phone box
The ticket seller worked in a narrow box beside the station gate.
At the fair, a fortune-teller waited in a painted box.
文法句型
a glass box
sit in a box
a phone box
用法筆記
Often appears with another noun that explains the function, such as phone box or guard box. Distinguish from sense 1, which is a movable container for objects.
6. a small seating section set apart from the main audience in a theater, stadium,
a small seating section set apart from the main audience in a theater, stadium, or courtroom.
Our family watched the opera from a side box.
collocation: side box
The judge asked the witness to face the jury box.
court use: jury box
The law firm rented a box for the baseball final.
Two guests waved from the royal box above the stage.
文法句型
a side box
rent a box
the jury box
用法筆記
In entertainment, this often means a private or special viewing area. In court, jury box is a fixed term for the seats used by jurors.
7. a television set, or television as something people sit and watch at home.
a television set, or television as something people sit and watch at home.
Grandpa falls asleep in front of the box every night.
pattern: in front of the box
At bedtime, Dad told the twins to turn off the box.
pattern: turn off the box
After dinner, we gathered around the box for the news.
Mara sold the old box when she bought a smart TV.
- TV
the most common short form in everyday speech.
- television set
more explicit and less informal.
文法句型
watch the box
turn off the box
in front of the box
用法筆記
Usually informal and often heard in older speech. The form the box is especially common when talking about watching television at home.
8. a numbered place at a post office, or a numbered reply address, used to receive
a numbered place at a post office, or a numbered reply address, used to receive letters.
Please send the form to Box 218 in central Tainan.
pattern: Box + number
Job applications should go to the box number printed in Sunday's ad.
advertisement reply address
The writer checked her post office box before lunch.
The band used a box number while touring across Taiwan.
- PO box
the standard modern abbreviation for a post office box.
- mailbox
broader and often means the box at a home rather than a numbered postal address.
- reply address
focuses on where answers should be sent, not on the physical box.
文法句型
Box 218
post office box
a box number
用法筆記
In newspaper ads and formal notices, box can mean only the reply number. In post office box, it can refer to the numbered mail space itself.
box — verb
1. to fight under boxing rules, either generally or against a named opponent.
to fight under boxing rules, either generally or against a named opponent.
Nadia boxed for her school team last winter.
pattern: box for [team]
On Saturday, Kenji will box against the national champion.
pattern: box against [opponent]
Two brothers boxed in the gym after class.
At the charity match, Bea boxed her taller cousin for three rounds.
文法句型
box for [team]
box against [opponent]
box [someone]
用法筆記
The verb can stand alone for doing the sport, or it can name the opponent directly or after against. Distinguish from sense 3, which means hitting with the hand outside the sport.
2. to put something into a box, or to surround something tightly as if it were insi
to put something into a box, or to surround something tightly as if it were inside one.
Mei boxed the books before the movers arrived.
pattern: box + object
Workers boxed the cups with paper for safety.
box [things] with [material]
By dawn, deep snow boxed the cabin on three sides.
Low bricks boxed the herb bed beside the kitchen wall.
- unpack
means taking things out after they have been boxed or packed.
文法句型
box the books
box [things] with paper
box [place] on three sides
用法筆記
Usually takes the thing being packed as its direct object. In the extended use, the object is the place or thing surrounded on several sides.
常見錯誤
3. to strike someone or something sharply with the hand, especially on the side of
to strike someone or something sharply with the hand, especially on the side of the head or ear.
The angry woman boxed the thief's ears in the market.
pattern: box someone's ears
A branch boxed Felix on the ear as he ran.
pattern: box [someone] on the ear
In the play, the aunt pretended to box her nephew's ears.
Turning too fast, Omar boxed the hanging lamp by the door.
文法句型
box someone's ears
box [someone] on the ear
box [something] with the hand
用法筆記
Much rarer than punch in modern English. It often appears in the fixed phrase box someone's ears, which suggests an open-handed blow rather than a boxing punch.