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Box vs Bow - What's the difference?

box | bow |

As nouns the difference between box and bow

is that box is box (rectangular container) while bow is a weapon made of a curved piece of wood or other flexible material whose ends are connected by a string, used for shooting arrows or bow can be a gesture, usually showing respect, made by inclining the head or bending forward at the waist or bow can be (nautical) the front of a boat or ship.

As a verb bow is

to play music on (a stringed instrument) using a bow or bow can be to bend oneself as a gesture of respect or deference.

box

English

(wikipedia box)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) box, from (etyl) .

Noun

(boxes)
  • A space; a container, usually with a hinged lid.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham)
    • , title=(The China Governess) , chapter=1 citation , passage=The huge square box , parquet-floored and high-ceilinged, had been arranged to display a suite of bedroom furniture designed and made in the halcyon days of the last quarter of the nineteenth century, […].}}
  • As much as fills a such a container.
  • A compartment of a storage furniture, or of a part of such a furniture, such as of a drawer, shelving, etc.
  • A compartment to sit in at a theater, courtroom or auditorium.
  • A small rectangular shelter like a booth.
    • a sentry box
  • A rectangle.
    • Place a tick or a cross in the box .
    This text would stand out better if we put it in a box of colour.
  • An input field on an interactive electronic display.
  • A numbered receptacle at a newspaper office for anonymous replies to advertisements.
  • A trap or predicament.
  • The driver's seat on a coach.
  • (cricket)  A hard protector for the genitals worn by a batsman or close fielder inside the underpants.
  • (engineering)  A cylindrical casing around for example a bearing or gland.
  • (football)  The penalty area.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2010 , date=December 29 , author=Chris Whyatt , title=Chelsea 1 - 0 Bolton , work=BBC citation , passage=Poised link-up play between Essien and Lampard set the Ghanaian midfielder free soon after but his left-footed shot from outside the box was too weak.}}
  • (computing, slang)  A computer, or the case in which it is housed.
  •   .
  • (slang, offensive)  The vagina.
  • (euphemistic)  Coffin.
  • (juggling)  A pattern usually performed with three balls where the movements of the balls make a boxlike shape.
  • Horse box.
  • * 1877 , (Anna Sewell), (Black Beauty) Chapter 22[http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Black_Beauty/22]
    • He was a fine-looking middle-aged man, and his voice said at once that he expected to be obeyed. He was very friendly and polite to John, and after giving us a slight look, he called a groom to take us to our boxes , and invited John to take some refreshment.
  • (baseball) The rectangle in which the stands.
  • A Mediterranean food fish; the bogue.
  • (dated) A small country house.
    • a shooting box
    (Wilson)
  • * Cowper
    • tight boxes neatly sashed
  • (informal) box lacrosse
    • Usage notes
    * (computer) The whimsical plural (boxen) is occasionally used.
    Synonyms
    * (rectangular container) case, package * (as much as fills a box) boxful * (compartment to sit in) loge * (small shelter like a booth) shelter * (input field on an electronic display) text box * (sense, driver's seat on a coach) box seat * gash, pussy, twat * (television) telly (UK), tube, TV * computer, machine * (protector for the genitals) cup (US)
    Derived terms
    * airbox * apple-box * axle-box * ballot box * bandbox * beatbox * be in a box * be in the same box * be in the wrong box * bento box * bitty box * black box * blue box * boom box, boom-box, boombox * box and needle * box-anneal * box-annealing * box-back * boxball * box-barrage * box-beam * box-bed * box-bill * box-board, boxboard * box-club * box camera * box canyon * box-car, boxcar * box-cart * box-chronometer * box-churn * box-cloth * box-club * box coat * box-coil * box-colored, box-coloured * box-coupling * box-crab * box-cutter * box-day * box-desk * box-drain * boxen * box end wrench * boxer * box-feeding * box file * box-fish, boxfish * box-fitter * box-food * box frame, box-frame * boxful * box girder * box-grain * box-groove * box guitar * box-hand * box-hat * box-head, boxhead * box-hook * box-house * box-iron * box jellyfish * box junction * box-keeper, boxkeeper * box-keeperess * box-key * box kite * box lacrosse * boxlock * box-letter * box-level * box-lobby * box-loom * box lunch * box lyre * box magazine * boxmaker, boxmaking * box-man * box-master * box-mattress * box-meat * box-metal * box-money * box-motion * box number * box-nut * a box of birds * box of chocolates * box office, box-office * box of matches * box-ottoman * box-oyster * box-plan * box pleat * box-pleated * box-pleating * box profits * box-rent * box room, box-room, boxroom * box score * box seat, box-seat * box set, box-set * box-shutter * box-slater * box-sleigh * box social * box spanner * box spread * box spring, box-spring * box-square * box-stair * box-staircase * box stall * box-standard * box-staple * box step * box-stone * box-strap * box-string * box-swivel * box-tail * box-tappet * box-tenon * box-ticking * box-timbering * box-toe * box-tool * box top, box-top * box-tortoise * box-trap * box-tricycle * box turtle * box-valve * box-van * box-wagon * box-wallah * box wrench, box-wrench * boxy * brain box, brain-box, brainbox * breadbox * CAAT box * cable box * call box, call-box * cardboard box * cartridge-box * cash-box, cashbox * chatterbox * check box (checkbox) * Chinese boxes * chocolate-box * Christmas box * cigar box * clack-box * coachbox * coal-box * coin-box * collecting box * color-box, colour-box * comb-box * combo box (combobox) * coolbox * coupling-box * cracker-box * dead-letter box * deed-box * dialog box * dice-box, dicebox * dirt-box * dispatch-box * ditty-box * dog-box, dogbox * dredge-box * dredging-box * dressing-box * dressing-up box * drink box * driving-box * dumb as a box of rocks * dust-box * egg-box * embox * feed-box * feeding-box * fire-box, firebox * first-aid box * fishing box * flush-box * front box * fuse-box, fusebox * fuzz box, fuzzbox * gearbox * GC box * glory box * glove box, glovebox * goggle-box * Goldberg-Hogness box, Hogness box * grass box * hat-box, hatbox * hay-box, haybox * hell-box, hellbox * homeobox, homoeobox * horse box, horse-box, horsebox * hot box, hotbox * hunting box * icebox * idiot box * in-box, inbox * Jack-in-a-box, Jack-in-the-box, jack-in-the-box * jewel box, jewel-box * journal box * juice box * junction-box * jukebox * jury box * knife-box * knock out of the box * letterbox * light box * list box * live-box * lockbox * loose box, loosebox * love box * lunch box, lunch-box, lunchbox * magic box * mail-box, mailbox * marmalade box * matchbox * missionary-box * miter box, mitre box * money box, moneybox * moss-box * mud box * muscle-box * musical box * music-box * nest-box * nesting box * omnibus box * one out of the box * out-box, outbox * out of the box * packing box * paddle-box * paint box, paintbox * Pandora’s box * patch-box * pay box * peg-box * pegbox * penalty box * pepperbox * phone box * pillar box, pillar-box * pillbox * play-box, playbox * PO box * police box * poor box * post-box, postbox * post-office box * potato-box * pounce-box * pouncet-box * powder-box * power box * prattle-box * press box, press-box * private box * prompt-box * prompter's box * property box * puff box * rattlebox * resistance-box * safe-deposit box, safety-deposit box * salt-box, saltbox * sandbox * saucebox * savings-box * scent-box * search box * seed-box, seedbox * sentry box * set-top box * shoe-box, shoebox * shooting box * show-box * side box, side-box * signal box * Skinner box * six-yard box * skybox * sluice-box * slushbox * smoke-box, smokebox * snow box * snuffbox * soap-box, soapbox * sound box, sound-box, soundbox * spice-box * spitbox * spurious box * squawk box, squawk-box, squawkbox * squeeze-box, squeezebox * stage box * strong-box, strongbox * stuffing box, stuffing-box * sugar-box * suggestion box * swear box * sweat-box, sweatbox * swell box * tar-box * TATA box * T-box * telephone box * tell-box * text box (textbox) * thunder-box * tick all the boxes * tick box * tinder box, tinder-box, tinderbox * tobacco-box * toolbox * touch-box * tuck box * tucker-box * tumbling box, tumbling-box * unbox * upper box * vanity box, vanity-box * versing box * voice box, voice-box * wagon box * watch-box * weather-box * weigh-box * the whole box and dice * window-box * wine box * witness box, witness-box * work-box, workbox * writing-box * Yerkes discrimination box * yogibogeybox
    Descendants
    * Portuguese:

    Verb

    (es)
  • To place inside a box; to pack in boxes.
  • (usually with 'in') To hem in.
  • (computing) To place a value of a primitive type into a corresponding object.
  • To mix two containers of paint of similar color to ensure that the color is identical.
  • To furnish (e.g. a wheel) with boxes.
  • (architecture) To enclose with boarding, lathing, etc., so as to bring to a required form.
  • To make an incision or hole in (a tree) for the purpose of procuring the sap.
    • Synonyms
    * (to place inside a box) box up, case, embox, encase, pack, package, package up * (to hem in) corner
    Derived terms
    * abox * autoboxing * box about * boxed * boxer * box-haul, boxhaul * box-hauling * box in * boxing * Boxing Day * box off * box out * box the compass * box up
    Antonyms
    * (place inside a box) unbox, uncase, unpack

    Etymology 2

    (etyl), from (etyl), from (etyl) buxus, from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (boxes)
  • Any of various evergreen shrubs or trees of the genus Buxus .
  • * '>citation
  • Boxwood: the wood from a box tree.
  • * 1884 , John R. Jackson, “Boxwood and its Substitutes”, reprinted in Journal of the Society of Arts , 1885 April 10, page 567:
    • Nevertheless, the application of woods other than box' for purposes for which that wood is now used would tend to lessen the demand for ' box , and thus might have an effect in lowering its price.
  • (slang) A musical instrument, especially/usually one made from boxwood.
  • * 1937 , , Their Eyes Were Watching God , Harper Perennial (2000), page 100:
    • “Evenin’, folks. Thought y’all might lak uh lil music this evenin’ so Ah brought long mah box .”
    Derived terms
    * box elder * box holly * box thorn
    Synonyms
    * (evergreen shrub or tree) boxwood
    Derived terms
    * bastard box * bonnet-box * box alder, box elder * boxberry * box-edged * boxen * boxer * box-gum * box-holly * box-room * box-slip * box-thorn, boxthorn * box-tree * boxwood * flowering box * grey box * prickly box * Queensland box * red box * Tasmanian box

    Etymology 3

    (etyl) (fist, pugilism)

    Noun

    (boxes)
  • A blow with the fist.
  • * Washington Irving
    • And then he whispered something to the girl which made her laugh, and give him a good-humored box on the ear.
    Synonyms
    * (blow with the fist) blow, punch

    Verb

    (es)
  • To strike with fists; to punch.
    • box someone's ears
    Leave this place before I box you!
  • To fight against (a person) in a boxing match.
  • To participate in boxing; to be a boxer.
    • Derived terms
    (derived terms) * BoxAerobics, boxaerobics * box clever * Boxer * boxer * boxercise * boxiana * boxing * box it out * box on * box-on * box oneself into a corner * out-box * shadow-box, shadowbox
    Descendants
    * German: * Portuguese:

    bow

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) boga, from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A weapon made of a curved piece of wood or other flexible material whose ends are connected by a string, used for shooting arrows.
  • A curved bend in a rod or planar surface, or in a linear formation such as a river (see oxbow ).
  • A rod with horsehair (or an artificial substitute) stretched between the ends, used for playing various stringed musical instruments.
  • A stringed instrument, similar to the item described above.
  • A type of knot with two loops, used to tie together two cords such as shoelaces or apron strings, and frequently used as decoration, such as in gift-wrapping.
  • Anything bent or curved, such as a rainbow.
  • * Bible, Genesis ix. 13
    • I do set my bow in the cloud.
  • The U-shaped piece which goes around the neck of an ox and fastens it to the yoke.
  • Any instrument consisting of an elastic rod, with ends connected by a string, employed for giving reciprocating motion to a drill, or for preparing and arranging hair, fur, etc., used by hatters.
  • (nautical) A crude sort of quadrant formerly used for taking the sun's altitude at sea.
  • (saddlery) Two pieces of wood which form the arched forward part of a saddletree.
    • Synonyms
    * (bow-shaped bend) arc, bend, curve * (tool for playing stringed instruments) fiddlestick
    Derived terms
    * bow and arrow * bowman * bowmanship * composite bow * compound bow * crossbow * longbow * oxbow * rainbow * shortbow * bow tie

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To play music on (a stringed instrument) using a bow.
    • The musician bowed his violin expertly.
  • To become bent or curved.
    • The shelf bowed under the weight of the books.
  • To make something bend or curve.
  • * Milton
    • We bow things the contrary way, to make them come to their natural straightness.
  • * Prescott
    • The whole nation bowed their necks to the worst kind of tyranny.
  • (figurative) To exercise powerful or controlling influence over; to bend, figuratively; to turn; to incline.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • Adversities do more bow men's minds to religion.
  • * Fuller
    • not to bow and bias their opinions
  • To premiere.
    • Cronenberg’s "Cosmopolis" bows in Cannes this week.

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) . Cognate with Dutch buigen, German biegen, Danish bue.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To bend oneself as a gesture of respect or deference.
  • * 1900 , , (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz)
    • The soldier now blew upon a green whistle, and at once a young girl, dressed in a pretty green silk gown, entered the room. She had lovely green hair and green eyes, and she bowed low before Dorothy as she said, "Follow me and I will show you your room."
  • * , chapter=4
    • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients , passage=I told him about everything I could think of; and what I couldn't think of he did. He asked about six questions during my yarn, but every question had a point to it. At the end he bowed and thanked me once more. As a thanker he was main-truck high; I never see anybody so polite.}}
  • (transitive, and, intransitive) To debut.
  • * 2010 (publication date), Kara Krekeler, "Rebuilding the opera house", West End Word , volume 39, number 26, December 22, 2010 – January 11, 2011, page 1:
    • SCP recently announced that How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical will bow on the newly renovated stage next December.
  • To defer (to something).
    • Derived terms
    * bow down * bow out * bow and scrape * take a bow

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A gesture, usually showing respect, made by inclining the head or bending forward at the waist.
    • He bowed politely as he entered the room.
  • A debut
    • The new product will make its bow on the world market this summer.
  • * {{quote-journal, 1832, , Literary Notices, The Rail-Road Journal citation
    • , passage=The first named one, it will be observed, is but a debutant. It makes its bow in a drab-colored Quaker-looking dress, and barring a lively McGrawler-like critique upon " Lewis' Poems," is staid and professorial in its tone.}}

    Etymology 3

    From (etyl) boech or (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (nautical) The front of a boat or ship.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1907, author=
    • , title=The Dust of Conflict , chapter=6 citation , passage=The night was considerably clearer than anybody on board her desired when the schooner Ventura headed for the land. It rose in places, black and sharp against the velvety indigo, over her dipping bow , though most of the low littoral was wrapped in obscurity.}}
    Synonyms
    * (of a ship) prow
    Antonyms
    * (of a ship) poop, stern
    Derived terms
    * bow shock * bow rudder

    See also

    * coll'arco * curtsy * kowtow * * * * * * *

    Anagrams

    * English heteronyms English terms with multiple etymologies