Meaning & use
on board the ship
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Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
Inside or on a ship, especially after having got onto it.
Grammar: Used after verbs like be, get, come, go, or welcome; the noun after 'on board' can also be omitted when clear.
Patterns
- be on board the ship
- get on board the ship
- welcome on board the ship
All the passengers were already on board the ship when the storm began.
We got on board the ship at noon and found our cabins.
There are three restaurants on board the ship.
Common combinations
- get on board
- We need to get on board before the gangway is removed.
- be on board
- Is everyone on board yet?
- welcome on board
- The captain said, 'Welcome on board.'
- on board a plane
- Food is served on board a plane during long flights.
Synonyms and how they differ
- aboard
- A single word with the same meaning; it is more formal and often used in announcements.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: on board the ship or on the board?
on board the ship vs on the board
This means 'on a flat piece of wood or a committee', not inside a ship. 'On board' is the travel phrase.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose one answer.
'On board' is the fixed phrase for being on a ship. 'In board' and 'on board of' are not standard, and 'at board' is not used in this meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “on board the ship”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.