free on board
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Said of goods delivered on board ship, or into the conveyance, at the seller's expense; generally contracted to F.O.B.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “free on board” mean?
Said of goods delivered on board ship, or into the conveyance, at the seller's expense; generally contracted to F.O.B.
Is “free on board” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.