boards means A stage (as in a theater).
boards is pronounced /bɔːdz/.
Etymology
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
noun
- A stage (as in a theater).“I’m an actress. No—not the kind you’re thinking of, lunching at the Savoy covered with jewellery, and with their photograph in every paper saying how much they love Madame So and So’s face cream. I’ve been on the boards since I was a kid of six—tumbling.”
- Structure around a rink for ice hockey.
- A hardcover binding on a book.“His new novel just came out in boards. The paperback will follow in about a year.”
- Examinations given for entry to college or to qualify for a profession.