across the board

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

aˈcross-the-ˈboard,  adj. 

1. applying to all inclusively;
   general:
   an across-the-board pay increase.

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

board /bɔrd/   n. 

1. Building a long rectangular piece of wood sawed thin:
   [countable] Please nail a couple of boards over the hole for now.
2. Building a flat piece of wood or other hard material used for a purpose:
   [countable] Write your sentence up on the board (= a blackboard).
3. [countable] a sheet of wood, cardboard, etc., on which a game is played:
   a chess board.
4. Building [uncountable] material made in large sheets, as plasterboard.
5. an official group or committee that directs an activity:
   [countable] a board of directors.
6. [uncountable] daily meals, esp. as provided for pay: How much is room and board in that hotel?
7. Computing [countable]
   • Computing a piece of fiberglass or other material upon which computer chips are mounted.
   • Electronics circuit board (def. 1).
8. Telecommunications a switchboard.

v. 

9. to cover or close with boards: [~ + up/over + object]
   boarded up the old house.
   [~ + object + up/over]
   boarded the fence over.
10. to provide (someone) with meals, esp. for pay:
    [~ + object] The retired couple boarded several college students.
11. to take one's meals and lodging at a fixed price:
    [~ + with/at + object] Several college students boarded with the couple.
12. to go on board (of a ship, etc.): [no object]
    Passengers should board through the door on my left.
    [~ + object]
    Passengers were just beginning to board the ship.
13. [~ + object] to allow on board:
    Flight 678 will board passengers.

Idioms

14. Idioms across the board, so as to apply to all equally:
    to raise salaries across the board.
15. Idioms on board,
    • on or in a ship, or other vehicle:
      a hundred passengers on board.
    • Sport Baseball. on base:
      Two men were out but two were on board.
    • present and functioning as a member of a team or organization:
      The new trainee was welcomed on board by the chairman.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

a•cross-the-board  (ə krôs′ᵺə bôrd′, -bōrd′, ə kros′-), adj. 

1. applying to all employees, members, groups, or categories;
   general:
   The across-the-board pay increase means a raise for all employees.
2. Games (of a bet) covering all possibilities of winning on a given result, esp. by placing a combination bet on one horse in a race for win, place, and show.

• 1940–45

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

board  (bôrd, bōrd), n. 

1. a piece of wood sawed thin, and of considerable length and breadth compared with the thickness.
2. a flat slab of wood or other material for some specific purpose:
   a cutting board.
3. a sheet of wood, cardboard, paper, etc., with or without markings, for some special use, as a checkerboard or chessboard.
4. boards:
   • [Theat.] the stage:
     The play will go on the boards next week.
   • the wooden fence surrounding the playing area of an ice-hockey rink.
   • a racing course made of wood, used esp. in track meets held indoors:
     his first time running on boards.
5. [Bookbinding.] stiff cardboard or other material covered with paper, cloth, or the like to form the covers for a book.
6. [Building Trades.] composition material made in large sheets, as plasterboard or corkboard.
7. a table, esp. to serve food on.
8. daily meals, esp. as provided for pay:
   twenty dollars a day for room and board.
9. an official group of persons who direct or supervise some activity:
   a board of directors.
10. [Naut.]
    • the side of a ship.
    • one leg, or tack, of the course of a ship beating to windward.
11. [Railroads.] a fixed signal or permanent sign regulating traffic.
12. a flat surface, as a wall or an object of rectangular shape, on which something is posted, as notices or stock-market quotations:
    a bulletin board.
13. surfboard.
14. Computing
    • Also called card, circuit board. a piece of fiberglass or other material upon which chips can be mounted to perform specific functions.
    • plugboard (def. 2).
15. Electronics See circuit board (def. 2).
16. a switchboard.
17. [Australian.]
    • the area of a woolshed where shearing is done.
    • a crew of shearers working in a particular woolshed.
    • sheep about to be sheared.
18. [Obs.] the edge, border, or side of anything.
19. across the board:
    • [Racing.] betting on a horse or dog to finish first, second, or third, so that any result where a selection wins, places, or shows enables the bettor to collect.
    • applying to or affecting every person, class, group, etc.
20. go by the board:
    • to go over the ship's side.
    • to be destroyed, neglected, or forgotten:
      All his devoted labor went by the board.
21. on board:
    • on or in a ship, plane, or other vehicle:
      There were several movie stars on board traveling incognito.
    • [Baseball.] on base:
      There were two men on board as the next batter came up.
    • present and functioning as a member of a team or organization. Also, aboard. 
22. on the boards, in the theatrical profession:
    The family has been on the boards since grandfather's time.
23. tread the boards. See tread (def. 11).

v.t. 

24. to cover or close with boards (often fol. by up or over):
    to board up a house; to board over a well.
25. to furnish with meals, or with meals and lodging, esp. for pay:
    They boarded him for $50 a week.
26. to go on board of or enter (a ship, train, etc.).
27. to allow on board:
    We will be boarding passengers in approximately ten minutes.
28. to come up alongside (a ship), as to attack or to go on board:
    The pirate ship boarded the clipper.
29. [Obs.] to approach;
    accost.

v.i. 

30. to take one's meals, or be supplied with food and lodging at a fixed price:
    Several of us board at the same rooming house.
31. [Ice Hockey.] to hit an opposing player with a board check.

• bef. 900; Middle English, Old English bord board, table, shield; cognate with Dutch boord board, bord plate, German Bort, Old Norse borth, Gothic -baurd

board′a•ble, adj. 
board′like′, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

across-the-board adjective

1. (of salary increases, taxation cuts, etc) affecting all levels or classes equally