board
B1All registers: common in everyday, business, academic, and technical contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A long, flat piece of wood or other hard material, used for a specific purpose (e.g., to walk on, write on, or form a surface).
A group of people with decision-making authority (e.g., a company board); the provision of meals and lodging; getting onto a vehicle (plane, ship, bus).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Core physical object sense is countable. The 'meals and lodging' sense is uncountable. The 'group of people' sense is collective and countable. The verb senses are highly frequent.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the context of exams, BrE uses 'board' (e.g., examination board) more specifically for official bodies. The phrase 'board and lodging' is slightly more common in BrE than 'room and board' in AmE.
Connotations
Generally identical. 'The board' for a company's directors is universal.
Frequency
Verb 'to board' (a plane/train) is equally common. Noun 'boarding pass' is standard in both; 'boarding card' is more common in BrE.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
board + noun (vehicle) e.g., board the planenoun + board e.g., a board of trusteesbe + on + board (with) e.g., I'm on board with the planVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “across the board”
- “above board”
- “go by the board”
- “take something on board”
- “sweep the board”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to the group of people who govern a company: 'The board will vote on the merger.'
Academic
Can refer to governing bodies of institutions or examination bodies: 'She sat on the school's advisory board.'
Everyday
Physical objects (chopping board, notice board) and travel: 'We need to board at gate 12.'
Technical
In computing/electronics: 'circuit board'; in construction: 'plasterboard'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Please board the coach at the rear.
- She boards her horse at a local stable.
- The flight is now boarding.
American English
- We can board the train in ten minutes.
- He boards with a family downtown.
- Flight 22 is now boarding at gate 5.
adverb
British English
- N/A (no standard adverbial use of 'board').
American English
- N/A (no standard adverbial use of 'board').
adjective
British English
- We offer full board accommodation.
- He is a board member.
- The board meeting starts at nine.
American English
- The package includes room and board.
- She's on the board committee.
- It was a board decision.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Write your name on the board.
- The teacher uses a white board.
- We will board the bus soon.
- The notice board has all the information.
- He sanded the wooden board flat.
- Does the rent include board?
- The board unanimously approved the budget.
- She took the criticism on board and improved her work.
- The new rules apply across the board.
- The proposal was tabled before the board for consideration.
- His radical ideas went by the board in favour of tradition.
- They managed to sweep the board at the awards ceremony.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a BOARD of directors sitting around a long wooden TABLE (which is also a board) deciding to BOARD a plane.
Conceptual Metaphor
ORGANIZATIONS ARE CONTAINERS (being 'on the board'), LIFE IS A JOURNEY ('boarding' a plane for the next stage), and IDEAS ARE OBJECTS ('taking an idea on board').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводите 'board of directors' как 'доска директоров' — это 'совет директоров'.
- 'Room and board' — это 'жильё и питание', а не 'комната и доска'.
- 'On board' часто означает 'в команде/согласен', а не только физически на транспорте.
- Глагол 'to board' (садиться в транспорт) шире, чем русский 'садиться на борт'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'board' as uncountable for the physical object (e.g., 'I need a board' not 'I need board').
- Confusing 'aboard' and 'on board' (often interchangeable as adverbs).
- Using 'the board is' vs 'the board are' (BrE often uses plural verb with collective sense).
Practice
Quiz
In the business context, what does 'the board' typically refer to?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on the meaning. The physical object (a plank) is countable. The 'meals' sense is uncountable. The 'group of people' sense is countable.
They are often interchangeable, especially for physical location on a vehicle. 'On board' is more common and can be metaphorical ('on board with a plan'). 'Aboard' is slightly more formal/literary.
It means applying to everyone or everything without exception, e.g., 'an across-the-board pay increase' for all employees.
Yes, commonly. It means to get onto a vehicle (plane, train, etc.) or to receive meals and lodging somewhere (e.g., 'he boards at school').
Collections
Part of a collection
Travel Vocabulary
A2 · 50 words · Words for getting around, booking trips and visiting new places.