idiot box
(idiomatic, chiefly, US, and, Canada) Television.
Definitions
(idiomatic, chiefly, US, and, Canada) Television.
During the long, dreary, wet winter I amused myself by watching college and Pro basketball on the idiot box.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
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Semantically related
- goggle box72%
(Britain, slang) A television set.
- idiot's lantern71%
(UK) A television set.
- goggle box67%
A fondly sardonic British slang term for the television set, emphasizing the wide-eyed, passive staring that watching TV supposedly induces. The word carries a gentle implied criticism — goggling at a box — but is mostly used with affectionate resignation rather than genuine scorn. It dates from the early days of mass TV ownership in Britain and remains recognizable today, showing up in everyday conversation and the title of the popular UK reality show 'Gogglebox.'
- idiot's lantern66%
The idiot's lantern is a wonderfully snarky old British nickname for the television — the glowing box in the corner that keeps millions staring slack-jawed for hours. It captured the mid-20th century suspicion that TV was rotting people's brains long before smartphones took the blame. Still gets dusted off sarcastically when someone wants to take a swipe at binge culture.
- dodgy box66%
(UK, Ireland, informal) A device providing unauthorized access to encrypted television or streaming services.