box4

[boks] /bɒks/
verb (used with object)
1.
Nautical. to boxhaul (often followed by off).
2.
Meteorology. to fly around the center of a storm in a boxlike pattern in order to gather meteorological data:
to box a storm.
Idioms
3.
box the compass, Nautical. to recite all of the points of the compass in a clockwise order.
Origin
1745-55; probably < Spanish bojar to sail around, earlier boxar, perhaps < Catalan vogir to (cause to) turn ≪ Latin volvere (see revolve); influenced by box1
British Dictionary definitions for box the compass

box1

/bɒks/
noun
1.
a receptacle or container made of wood, cardboard, etc, usually rectangular and having a removable or hinged lid
2.
Also called boxful. the contents of such a receptacle or the amount it can contain: he ate a whole box of chocolates
3.
any of various containers for a specific purpose: a money box, letter box
4.
(often in combination) any of various small cubicles, kiosks, or shelters: a telephone box or callbox, a sentry box, a signal box on a railway
5.
a separate compartment in a public place for a small group of people, as in a theatre or certain restaurants
6.
an enclosure within a courtroom See jury box, witness box
7.
a compartment for a horse in a stable or a vehicle See loosebox, horsebox
8.
(Brit) a small country house occupied by sportsmen when following a field sport, esp shooting
9.
  1. a protective housing for machinery or mechanical parts
  2. the contents of such a box
  3. (in combination): a gearbox
10.
a shaped device of light tough material worn by sportsmen to protect the genitals, esp in cricket
11.
a section of printed matter on a page, enclosed by lines, a border, or white space
12.
a central agency to which mail is addressed and from which it is collected or redistributed: a post-office box, to reply to a box number in a newspaper advertisement
13.
the central part of a computer or the casing enclosing it
14.
short for penalty box
15.
(baseball) either of the designated areas in which the batter may stand
16.
the raised seat on which the driver sits in a horse-drawn coach
17.
(NZ) a wheeled container for transporting coal in a mine
18.
(Austral & NZ) an accidental mixing of herds or flocks
19.
a hole cut into the base of a tree to collect the sap
20.
short for Christmas box
21.
a device for dividing water into two or more ditches in an irrigation system
22.
an informal name for a coffin
23.
(taboo, slang) the female genitals
24.
(NZ) be a box of birds, to be very well indeed
25.
(Brit, informal) the box, television
26.
think outside the box, think out of the box, to think in a different, innovative, or original manner, esp with regard to business practices, products, systems, etc
27.
tick all the boxes, to satisfy all of the apparent requirements for success
28.
(Austral, informal) out of the box, outstanding or excellent: a day out of the box
verb
29.
(transitive) to put into a box
30.
(transitive; usually foll by in or up) to prevent from moving freely; confine
31.
(printing) (transitive) foll by in. to enclose (text) within a ruled frame
32.
(transitive) to make a cut in the base of (a tree) in order to collect the sap
33.
(transitive) (Austral & NZ) to mix (flocks or herds) accidentally
34.
(NZ) (transitive) sometimes foll by up. to confuse: I am all boxed up
35.
(nautical) short for boxhaul
36.
(nautical) box the compass, to name the compass points in order
Derived Forms
boxlike, adjective
Word Origin
Old English box, from Latin buxus from Greek puxosbox³

box2

/bɒks/
verb
1.
(transitive) to fight (an opponent) in a boxing match
2.
(intransitive) to engage in boxing
3.
(transitive) to hit (a person) with the fist; punch or cuff
4.
box clever, to behave in a careful and cunning way
noun
5.
a punch with the fist, esp on the ear
Word Origin
C14: of uncertain origin; perhaps related to Dutch boken to shunt, push into position

box3

/bɒks/
noun
1.
a dense slow-growing evergreen tree or shrub of the genus Buxus, esp B. sempervirens, which has small shiny leaves and is used for hedges, borders, and garden mazes: family Buxaceae
2.
the wood of this tree See boxwood (sense 1)
3.
any of several trees the timber or foliage of which resembles this tree, esp various species of Eucalyptus with rough bark
Word Origin
Old English, from Latin buxus
Word Origin and History for box the compass

box

n..

Old English box "a wooden container," also the name of a type of shrub, from Late Latin buxis, from Greek pyxis "boxwood box," from pyxos "box tree," of uncertain origin. See OED entry for discussion. German Büchse also is a Latin loan word.

Meaning "compartment at a theater" is from c.1600. Meaning "pigeon-hole at a post office" is from 1832. Meaning "television" is from 1950. Slang meaning "vulva" is attested 17c., according to "Dictionary of American Slang;" modern use seems to date from c.World War II, perhaps originally Australian, on notion of "box of tricks." Box office is 1786; in the figurative sense of "financial element of a performance" it is first recorded 1904. Box lunch (n.) attested from 1899. The box set, "multiple-album, CD or cassette issue of the work of an artist" is attested by 1955.

"a blow," c.1300, of uncertain origin, possibly related to Middle Dutch boke, Middle High German buc, and Danish bask, all meaning "a blow," perhaps imitative.

v.

"to put into storage, put into a box," mid-15c., from box (n.1). Related: Boxed; boxing.

"to beat or whip," late 14c., from box (n.2). Meaning "to fight with the fists" is from 1560s. Related: Boxed; boxing.

Slang definitions & phrases for box the compass

box

adjective

(also boxed) Dead (1970s+ Medical)

noun
  1. A coffin (1600s+)
  2. A safe; vault; bank vault (1900s+ Underworld)
  3. The vulva; vagina: Her box ain't no rose blossom (1600s+)
  4. The male genitals, esp as displayed by tight pants; basket (1960s+ Homosexuals)
  5. ny stringed instrument, esp a guitar (1930s+ jazz musicians)
  6. An accordion; groan box (1950s+)
  7. A phonograph (1920s+)
  8. Portable stereo radio; ghetto box: Hey, man, don't mess with my box/ They were allowed to keep their boxes because their age exempted them from normal court procedures (1970s+)
  9. A very tight and awkward situation; cleft stick; bind: Those guidelines put me in a hell of a box
verb
  1. To die: Oh, she boxed last night (1970s+ Medical)
  2. To kill: Samalson planned to go back Monday morning, but he got boxed (1970s+)
Related Terms

bitch box, blue box, first crack out of the box, git-box, go home feet first, idiot box, in a bind, in the box, nuthouse, out of the box, pete, shine box, soapbox, squawk box, stuff the ballot box, think-box


box the compass in the Bible

for holding oil or perfumery (Mark 14:3). It was of the form of a flask or bottle. The Hebrew word (pak) used for it is more appropriately rendered "vial" in 1 Sam. 10:1, and should also be so rendered in 2 Kings 9:1, where alone else it occurs.

Idioms and Phrases with box the compass

box the compass

Make a complete turnabout or reversal, as in With a change of ownership, the editorial page boxed the compass politically, now supporting the Senator. Originally this was (and continues to be) a nautical term, meaning “repeat the 32 points of the compass in order.” In the early 1800s it began to be used figuratively.

box

also see: