running board
Definition
Noun: A running board is a narrow, horizontal step or footboard attached to the side of a vehicle, just below the doors. It was a common feature on older automobiles, such as cars from the early to mid-20th century, providing a step to help passengers enter and exit the vehicle.
Usage
The term is used specifically to refer to this automotive component. It is a compound noun, and its meaning is directly tied to its function on vehicles. * The chauffeur stood on the running board as the vintage car drove slowly down the avenue. * Early automobiles often had running boards to make getting in and out easier.
Advanced Usage
- While historically associated with cars, the concept of a running board can be applied by analogy to similar narrow, step-like platforms on other types of vehicles or machinery, though this is less common.
- The phrase "on the running board" can be used metaphorically to suggest being in a preparatory or transitional position, not fully inside or committed.
Variants and Related Words
- Step board: A less common, more descriptive synonym.
- Side step: A modern equivalent often found on trucks and SUVs, though these are usually wider and may be retractable.
Synonyms
- Footboard
- Step
Antonyms
- (Conceptual) Door sill (the fixed part of the car's frame you step over, not a step down).
Related Phrases/Idioms
- While not a phrasal verb, the term can appear in descriptive phrases like "jump onto the running board," evoking imagery from early films or stories.
Noun
-
a narrow footboard serving as a step beneath the doors of some old cars
