A footboard is the panel or board at the foot of a bed, standing upright where your feet point when you lie down. If you've ever bumped your toes getting into bed at night, you probably hit the footboard. It matches the headboard at the other end and helps frame the bed, but it also serves a practical purpose: it helps keep your blankets from sliding off onto the floor while you sleep.

Some footboards are simple flat panels, while others have decorative carvings or designs. Hospital beds often have metal footboards where doctors can hang medical charts. On antique beds, footboards might be quite tall and ornate, showing off a craftsperson's skill.

The word can also refer to a small platform or board where you rest your feet, like the footboards on a scooter or motorcycle. On old-fashioned carriages and fire trucks, people stood on footboards on the outside of the vehicle. You might see this in old movies: firefighters riding to emergencies while standing on the footboards, holding onto the truck as it raced through the streets.