Word.ws English Dictionary

boxes the compass

boxes the compass is the third-person singular simple present indicative of box the compass.

Meaning of box the compass

Verb

box the compass (third-person singular simple present boxes the compass, present participle boxing the compass, simple past and past participle boxed the compass)

  1. To know, and demonstrate by reciting, the 32 points and quarter points of the magnetic compass from North or East, both clockwise and anticlockwise.
    • While in the school-ships the boys would be instructed in the elements of an ordinary education, in addition to being taught to row, heave the lead, box the compass, go aloft, reef, steer, and work the guns.1859 September 30, The Times, page 10
  2. (idiomatic) To make a complete reversal in stance or opinion.

Questions about boxes the compass

What is boxes the compass the third-person singular simple present indicative of?
Boxes the compass is the third-person singular simple present indicative of box the compass.

Words near boxes the compass in the dictionary

  1. boxes of ivories
  2. boxes off
  3. boxes oneself into a corner
  4. boxes out
  5. boxes someone's ears
  6. boxes the compass
  7. boxes the Jesuit
  8. boxes up
  9. boxesful
  10. boxfish
  11. boxfishes

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: boxes the compass (page history and authors); box the compass (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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