What Does “Board sth up” Mean?
“Board sth up” means to cover a window, door, or opening with wooden boards to protect or close it temporarily.
Introduction
The phrase “board sth up” is commonly used when talking about securing buildings or houses. For example, people board up windows before a storm to prevent damage. The “board sth up meaning” involves placing wooden panels over openings to block or protect them. This phrase is practical and often appears in conversations about safety, repairs, or temporary closures. It’s useful to know how to use this expression correctly in both spoken and written English.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: board something up
- Type: transitive
- Level: B1
- Short meaning: to cover openings with boards for protection or closure
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Board sth up” is a separable phrasal verb. This means you can place the object between “board” and “up” or after the whole phrase.
- board something up
- board up something
Both forms are correct, but putting the object between the verb and particle is more common.
How to Use “Board sth up”?
Use “board sth up” when referring to covering windows, doors, or other openings with wooden boards. It often relates to protecting buildings from damage or closing them temporarily. It’s used in the past, present, and future tenses.
Example: “They will board up the windows before the hurricane arrives.”
Examples
- We had to board up the broken windows after the storm.
- The shop owner boarded up the store before leaving for vacation.
- After the fire, the house was boarded up for safety reasons.
- Board up the doors to keep the animals out.
- They boarded up the empty building to prevent vandalism.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: Board up the window it is broken.
- Correct: Board up the window because it is broken.
- Incorrect: Please board the window up it now.
- Correct: Please board up the window now.
Differences / Synonyms
Similar phrasal verbs include “shut up” and “close up,” but they don’t usually involve physical boards.
Board sth up specifically means covering with wooden boards.
Shut up means to close something tightly or stop talking.
Close up means to close a shop or building temporarily or permanently, but not necessarily with boards.
Common Collocations
- Board up the windows
- Board up the doors
- Board up a house
- Board up a building
- Board up openings
Real-life Dialogue
John: The storm is coming. Should we board up the windows?
Lisa: Yes, let’s board them up now to avoid any damage.
John: Do you have the boards ready?
Lisa: Yes, I found some in the garage. I’ll help you.
Practice
Fill in the blank with the correct form of “board sth up”:
They __________ the old house last week to keep it safe.
- a) boarded up
- b) board up
- c) boarding up
FAQs
- Q: Can “board sth up” be used for anything other than windows or doors?
A: It is mainly used for windows, doors, or openings, but can apply to any entrance that needs covering.
- Q: Is “board sth up” formal or informal?
A: It is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
- Q: What materials are used for boarding up?
A: Usually wooden boards or plywood are used.
- Q: Can I say “board up the window” or “board the window up”?
A: Both are correct; however, “board up the window” is more common.
- Q: Is “board sth up” only used for safety reasons?
A: Mostly yes, but it can also be used for security or to close a building temporarily.
