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box

box

1 7.3
A small evergreen shrub with thick leaves often used for hedges
  • noun
  • /bɑks/
: boj
  • To enhance the privacy of the backyard, we planted several box shrubs along the fence.

Examples

  • There are some shoe boxes in there.

  • It's in the basement, in a blue box.

  • The same day he bought the car, he also rented a safe-deposit box.

  • I got Paydays and I got a box of Baby Ruths.

  • But no creature in Australia or on Earth compares with the box jellyfish, which Australians call the marine stinger.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Next to him, surrounded by rare Kingsville dwarf box, stood Heinz Warneke's statue of the Prodigal Son.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • The box shrub in my garden creates a lovely green hedge that defines the pathway.

  • The landscape architect selected box trees for the topiary designs in the park.

Synonyms

boxwood
vsbox
2 6.2

An evergreen shrub or small tree with small glossy leaves often grown as a hedge

is mainly valued for hedges and topiary rather than for wood
Buxus
vsbox
  • Specialized
1 9.8

An evergreen shrub or small tree with dense leaves used for hedges

is used for individual shrubs rather than the whole taxonomic group
Buxus sempervirens
vsbox
  • Specialized
1 9.1

An evergreen shrub or small tree gardeners use for hedges and neat garden shapes

is a general term for shrubs in the whole genus rather than one species
common box
vsbox
  • UK
6.3

A small evergreen bush with dense leaves often used for hedges and garden shapes

is a general name for shrubs in the genus rather than this single species
European box
vsbox
  • UK
7.5

A slow-growing evergreen bush or small tree used for hedges and neat shapes

is the same shrub type but not necessarily large or slow growing
genus Buxus
vsbox
  • Specialized
9.4

A group of evergreen shrubs and small trees called boxwoods

refers to single shrubs of that group rather than the genus as a whole

Idioms

outside the box
  • Informal
47 4.5

In a creative way that does not follow normal rules

24 5.3

Thinking in a new, creative way not limited by usual methods

Ready to use without extra setup after you buy it

11 7.7

To create many unexpected problems that are hard to control

In a usual, not creative way that avoids new ideas

1 7.3

Think in a new way instead of your usual way

1 8.8

A person who is not very quick to understand

A person who is not very quick to understand things

1 9.9

To say all the compass points in order and name every direction

to box one's ears
  • Offensive
9.9

To hit someone on the side of the head to punish or scold them

To sell a lot of movie tickets

Spending a long time watching television and not doing much else

off one's box
  • Archaic
9.9

Feeling confused and out of control after drinking or when very upset

Compounds

106 2.5

Money that comes from selling tickets for a film or show

67 2.8

A secure metal box in a bank where people keep valuables

44 1.0

A box made of cardboard used for packing or storing things

35 3.4

A numbered box at a post office where you receive and collect your mail

A strong metal box in a bank that holds valuable things

28 3.4

A secure metal box in a bank for keeping valuable things

24 3.1

A small box that plays a tune when you wind it

black box
  • Specialized
23 4.9

A device on an airplane that records flight information and pilot voices

boom box
  • Archaic
22 3.1

A portable music system with speakers that plays music loudly

Pandora's box
  • Literature
20 8.2

A situation that causes many unexpected and serious problems

20 1.8

A box with soft material that cats use to pee and poo indoors

18 2.5

A sealed container where voters put their voting papers during an election

16 1.8

A place at a theatre or cinema where people buy tickets

15 1.0

A cardboard box that holds breakfast cereal

12 3.7

A part in the throat that makes sounds when you speak

A numbered box at a post office where you collect your mail

11 3.2

A raised area in a courtroom where the people who decide the case sit during a trial

press box
  • Literature
9 3.1

An area in a stadium or arena where reporters and broadcasters sit to report the game

A toy box with a clown or figure that pops out when opened

9 2.1

A small box for keeping cigars or other small items

8 4.4

Private place in a raised box with a good view of the stage or field

black box
  • Specialized
8 3.9

A system whose inner parts are hidden so you only see what goes in and what comes out

7 3.3

A small area in ice hockey where a player sits to serve time after a penalty

dialog box
  • Specialized
6 3.2

A small window that asks you to confirm or cancel an action

5 5.8

A simple coffin made from pine wood

5 1.0

A box for keeping children's toys

cat box
  • US
5 1.0

A box filled with litter that a cat uses as a toilet indoors

5 3.2

A strong cloth frame with springs that supports a mattress

shit box
  • Offensive
4 9.9

A very old, broken car or run-down place

4 4.2

An enclosed area in a courtroom where a person sits to tell the judge or jury what they saw

4 2.9

A long narrow container for growing plants on a windowsill

4 8.3

A surprising thing that seems to come by luck, not skill, like a small toy in a snack box

4 4.3

A marked area beside home plate where the player stands to hit

telephone box
  • Archaic
4 3.0

A small box on a street that holds a public phone

idiot box
  • Informal
4 7.2

A television people jokingly call a waste of time

text box
  • Specialized
4 3.2

An area on a screen or in a document where you can type and show words

A way to find new, creative ideas to solve problems

3 2.8

A public booth with a phone for making calls

3 1.0

A large strong container used to hold things for moving or storage

3 5.2

A North American land turtle with a high shell that can close tightly to protect itself

2 3.0

A number for a mailbox at a post office where someone receives mail

2 1.0

A box or slot at a house where mail is delivered

2 2.0

A small container with a slot on top for keeping coins or paper money

Christmas box
  • Archaic
1 2.4

A gift you give at Christmas to people who do a job for you, like a milkman or postman

1 5.5

A place in a church where people put money to help needy people

1 1.8

A public box where people put letters for the post to collect

shine box
  • Archaic
1 7.1

A box that holds brushes, cloths, and polish for shoes

1 6.4

The front part of a shoe that covers and protects the toes

1 6.3

A loudspeaker used to talk to people in a building

A number used to receive mail at a post office box

1 3.0

A box that holds coins collected from a machine like a slot machine

1 5.9

A shallow box with a clear front that shows and protects small items like jewelry

1 6.1

A North American fast-growing maple tree with leaves made of several parts, often used for shade

1 1.0

A small box for holding pencils, erasers, and a ruler

1 7.1

A tall red box on the street for posting letters

1 4.6

A kite with a box shape open at both ends

1 3.5

A tool with a closed circular end that fits over a nut or bolt to turn it

1 6.7

A small building where people control railway signals and switches to direct trains

1 6.3

A box-shaped instrument with bellows that you press to make music, like an accordion

box camera
  • Archaic
1 4.2

A simple camera in the shape of a box with a fixed focus lens and few controls

box-ticking
  • Literature
1 7.5

Doing tasks only to meet rules without real care

list box
  • Specialized
1 3.7

A box that shows a list of items you can choose one or more from

1 4.7

A small box that plays a tune when you wind it

1 1.8

A numbered box at a post office that people rent to receive mail

1 5.0

A small shelter with an open front where a guard stands

jam box
  • Informal
1 7.8

A small loud speaker you carry to play music outdoors

box seat
  • Archaic
1 8.9

Place where a driver sits on a horse-drawn carriage

dispatch box
  • Formal
1 8.8

A locked box used to carry and keep important government papers like speeches

1 2.3

A small container with holes in the top for sprinkling ground pepper on food

miter box
  • Specialized
1 6.8

A tool that guides a saw to make cuts at exact angles in wood for picture frames

1 3.5

A number for a post office box where you collect mail

box pleat
  • Specialized
1 6.4

Two folds in cloth turned under to form a flat box shape

box of tricks
  • Informal
1 5.5

A set of clever methods a person uses to solve problems

How Big

shrub
45 1.0
box
1 7.3
sapling
15 2.7
seedling
20 2.8
plantlet
  • Specialized
1 6.5

Surface Forms

box singular
boxes plural

Etymology

Box for the shrub comes straight from Latin buxus, the old name for the boxwood tree, and gardeners call the small evergreen a 'box' because it is the very tree used for making boxes.