Dictionary

dodgy box en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈdɒd͡ʒ.iˌbɒks/

Etymology

Either dodgy (“[legally] dubious”) + box (“device”) or dodge (“avoid [paying]”) + -y + box, playing on Digibox.

Meanings

1. (Ireland, UK, informal) A device providing unauthorized access to encrypted television or streaming services.
   • Earlier this week, eBay announced it was removing pre-loaded dodgy boxes, meaning those with Kodi Android software already on them. 2017 April 26, Gordon Hunt, “Are dodgy boxes illegal? The EU has its say”, in Silicon Republic, Dublin:
   • I paid for Via play to ensure I got a quality reliable stream and the stream on Amazon is awful. I'm getting a better stream on my dodgy box. 2023 April 30, hail_hail, Kerrydale Street:
   • The Untouchables showed up on our dodgy box during the week, right on that scene where Al Capone is attending a performance of the opera Pagliacci. 2017 June 30, Ian O'Riordan, “Pat Hickey interview avoids the hard questions”, in The Irish Times, Dublin, page 6 Sports:
   • Almost one in five Irish cable television customers has an illegal decoder to unscramble channels that they are not paying for, according to industry estimates. 2009 January 18, Jan Battles, “One in five cable customers has a ‘dodgy box’”, in The Sunday Times, Dublin:

Forms