noun

1. a long, broad, flat piece of sawed wood ready for use; thin plank
2. a flat piece of wood or similar material, often rectangular, for some special use a checkerboard, bulletin board, ironing board, diving board
3. 1. any of various construction materials manufactured in thin, flat, rectangular sheets fiberboard
   2. pasteboard or stiff paper, often used for book covers
4. 1. a table for meals, esp. when spread with food
   2. food served at a table; esp., meals provided regularly for pay
5. Archaic a council table
6. a group of persons who manage or control a business, school system, etc.; council a board of trade, a board of education
7. ☆
   1. a posted or printed list of the stocks sold and their prices, on a particular stock exchange
   2. the stock exchange listing these stocks
8. the side of a ship: usually in compounds overboard
9. a rim, border, or coast: now only in seaboard
10. ☆ Basketball
    1. the backboards, esp. as the source of rebounds
    2. rebounds
11. Educ.
    1. a qualifying examination, esp. one for admission to an academic program college boards
    2. one's score on such an examination
12. Electronics circuit board
13. Hockey the wooden or fiberglass wall surrounding the rink
14. Naut. the distance covered in one tack when sailing into the wind

Etymology: ME & OE bord, a plank, flat surface (nautical senses via OFr bord, side of a ship < Frank *bord, akin to OE bord) < IE *bhdho-, board < *bheredh- < base *bher-, to cut

transitive verb

1. to cover or close (up) with boards
2. to provide with meals, or room and meals, regularly for pay
3. to house (a person) where board is supplied
4. to come alongside (a ship), esp. with hostile purpose
5. to come over the rail and onto the deck of (a ship)
6. ☆ to get on (a train, bus, etc.)

intransitive verb