box-office [boks-aw-fis, -of-is] ExamplesWord Origin adjective
- of or relating to the box office or to the business and commercial aspects of the theater: a box-office window; box-office receipts; a box-office attraction.
Origin of box-office First recorded in 1805–15; adj. use of box office box office noun
- the office of a theater, stadium, or the like, at which tickets are sold.
- Theater.
- receipts from a play or other entertainment.
- entertainment popular enough to attract paying audiences and make a profit: This show will be good box office.
Origin of box office First recorded in 1780–90 Related Words for box-office gate, receipts Examples from the Web for box-office Contemporary Examples of box-office
Jennifer Aniston had the kind of box-office year that had people stop feeling bad for Jennifer Aniston.
Our Pop Culture Wish List for 2014
Kevin Fallon
December 30, 2013
Sighs of relief came in the form of a box-office take of $93 million over a five-day Thanksgiving weekend.
The Biggest Surprises and Disappointments in 2013
Melissa Leon
December 24, 2013
Asked whether there was anyone who was still a box-office guarantee, insiders would be hard-pressed to name a single actor.
2013 Was the Year of Women at the Box Office
Kevin Fallon
December 10, 2013
With the exception of Anchorman, none of these movies are as mass appealing or box-office friendly as Bridesmaids ended up being.
Is Kristen Wiig Still ‘Girl Most Likely’ to Succeed?
Kevin Fallon
July 22, 2013
The best idea for Depp, then, would be to embrace this idea that the category of “box-office star” is kaput, for him at least.
Johnny Depp and the ‘Lone Ranger’ Flop: Is His Career Doomed?
Kevin Fallon
July 9, 2013
Historical Examples of box-office
No, every place was taken when my servant went to the box-office.
The Son of Monte-Cristo, Volume I (of 2)
Alexandre Dumas pre
I went boldly to the box-office and encountered the same young man.
James Huneker
Then skirting a big beadle in blue, policemen, and loungers, I reached the box-office.
James Huneker
All of them his, all box-office best bets and all still going strong!
Irvin S. Cobb
Would you mind coming to the box-office a few moments before you dress?
Theodore Dreiser
British Dictionary definitions for box-office box office noun
- an office at a theatre, cinema, etc, where tickets are sold
- the receipts from a play, film, etc
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- the public appeal of an actor or productionthe musical was bad box office
- (as modifier)a box-office success
Idioms and Phrases with box-office box office 1
The office where seats for a play, concert, or other form of entertainment may be purchased, as in Tickets are available at the box office. It is so called because originally (17th century) it was the place for hiring a box, a special compartment of theater seats set aside for ladies. [Second half of 1700s]
2
The financial receipts from a performance; also, a show’s relative success in attracting a paying audience. For example, You may not consider it great art, but this play is good box office. [c. 1900]