board
BORD
/bɔːrd/
To get onto a ship, aircraft, train, or bus.
As a verb in aviation, it means passing through the gate and walking onto the plane.
The story behind the word. Originates from Old English 'bord' (a wooden plank). 'To go aboard' originally meant stepping over the wooden side (board) of a ship.
Word relationships
- embark: Embark is more formal and historically applied primarily to ships before aviation.
- disembark: Disembark means getting off a vessel or airplane.
Commonly confused with
- embark: Embark sounds formal/literary; board is standard everyday aviation and transit terminology.
Word family
- boarding (noun): The process of getting passengers onto a vessel.
Collocations
- board the plane
- boarding pass
- boarding gate
- ready to board
Idioms & expressions
- across the board
- go on board
Example sentences
- "Passengers in business class were invited to board the plane first." Gate announcement
- "Make sure you keep your boarding pass ready before stepping up to the gate scanner." Travel document
Memory hook
Step across the wooden board to get on the vehicle. Step on board the sky bound vessel.
When not to use
Do not use 'board' for getting into a private passenger car (use 'get into' or 'enter').
Fun facts
- The term 'boarding pass' predates modern aviation and was used for steamships in the 19th century.
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