boston: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Neutral
Quick answer
What does “boston” mean?
A type of card game, typically played by four players with a reduced deck of 52 cards.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A type of card game, typically played by four players with a reduced deck of 52 cards; also refers to things relating to the city of Boston, Massachusetts
Primarily refers to the capital city of Massachusetts, USA; secondarily can refer to a specific variety of plants (Boston ivy, Boston fern), a terrier breed (Boston terrier), or a dance (Boston two-step)
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, 'boston' (lowercase) is more commonly recognized as the card game. In American English, 'Boston' (capitalized) overwhelmingly refers to the city.
Connotations
UK: card game, social activity; US: historical city, education (Harvard, MIT), sports (Red Sox, Celtics), American Revolution
Frequency
Much more frequent in American English due to city references
Grammar
How to Use “boston” in a Sentence
[preposition] in Boston[verb] to Bostonfrom Boston [verb]Boston [noun]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “boston” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- They decided to boston for the evening instead of playing whist.
- Do you know how to boston properly?
American English
- American English doesn't use 'boston' as a verb.
adjective
British English
- The boston variant requires only 36 cards.
- He prefers boston rules to bridge.
American English
- The Boston accent is distinctive.
- She attended Boston University.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to the Boston business district, financial sector, or corporate headquarters located in the city
Academic
Refers to Boston's universities (Harvard, MIT, Boston University) or academic conferences held there
Everyday
Refers to visiting Boston, Boston sports teams, or Boston-based products
Technical
In botany: Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata); In dance: Boston two-step
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “boston”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “boston”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “boston”
- Forgetting to capitalize when referring to the city
- Using 'Boston' as adjective without hyphen (e.g., 'Boston-based company' not 'Boston based company')
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
When referring to the city, always capitalize as 'Boston'. When referring to the card game, it's usually lowercase 'boston'.
Boston (capitalized) is the city in Massachusetts. boston (lowercase) is a card game similar to whist.
The nickname comes from Boston's historical association with baked beans, a traditional dish sweetened with molasses.
Yes, in American English it's commonly used as a descriptive adjective (Boston accent, Boston cream pie) or in compound adjectives (Boston-based company).
A type of card game, typically played by four players with a reduced deck of 52 cards.
Boston is usually neutral in register.
Boston: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbɒstən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbɔːstən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Boston strong”
- “Boston cream”
- “Boston two-step”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Remember B-O-S-T-O-N: Big Old Significant Town Of New England
Conceptual Metaphor
Boston as a container (events happen IN Boston), Boston as a source (ideas come FROM Boston)
Practice
Quiz
Which of these is NOT typically associated with Boston?