sandbox

Everyday

1. (US, Canada) A box or pit filled with sand for children to play in; in the UK and Australia it is called a sandpit. tree →
2. (computing) A safe, closed space where a program can run without harming the rest of the computer. tree →
3. (games) A sandbox game lets players build and explore freely, like Minecraft. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life little children play in the sandbox at the park. In computing and online safety lessons, a sandbox keeps unknown programs from damaging files. In gaming, «sandbox mode» means free play without strict goals. Phrases: «play in the sandbox», «sandbox game», «sandbox mode».

Examples

• The toddlers built castles in the sandbox. tree →
• Minecraft is a famous sandbox game. tree →
• The new app runs in a sandbox, so it cannot change your files. tree →
• Cover the sandbox at night so cats don't use it. tree →
• We tried the code in a sandbox first. tree →
• In sandbox mode you can build anything you like. tree →

Note

Plural: sandboxes. UK, Australia, New Zealand: «sandpit». Hygiene: wash your hands after playing in shared sand.