Definition

Noun: A diving board is a long, narrow, flexible board fixed at one end over a swimming pool or other body of water, from which a person can jump or dive into the water.

Usage

A diving board is a piece of equipment used for recreational or competitive diving. It provides a raised, springy platform that allows a diver to jump higher and perform maneuvers before entering the water. - It is typically installed at the deep end of a swimming pool. - The board's flexibility helps propel the diver upward.

Examples

Advanced Usage

• "to walk the plank": While not a direct synonym, this idiom from pirate history is sometimes humorously or metaphorically compared to the act of walking to the end of a diving board before jumping.
• In competitive contexts, the specifications of the diving board (its length, flexibility, and height) are regulated.

Variants and Related Words

• Springboard: A more general term for a flexible board used for jumping in sports like diving or gymnastics. All diving boards are a type of springboard, but not all springboards (e.g., a gymnastics vault springboard) are diving boards.
• Platform: In diving, a diving platform is a fixed, non-flexible structure from which divers jump, as opposed to a springy diving board.

Synonyms

• Diving springboard
• Diving plank (less common)

Related Phrases

• Take the plunge: This idiom, meaning to commit to a significant decision, can be literally illustrated by the act of jumping off a diving board.
• Off the deep end: This idiom, meaning to act irrationally or to become deeply involved in something, originates from jumping into the deep end of a pool, often from a diving board.

Noun

1. a springboard from which swimmers can dive