playbook

[ pley-book ]

noun

1. (in Elizabethan drama) the script of a play, used by the actors as an acting text.
2. a book containing the scripts of one or more plays.
3. Football. a notebook containing descriptions of all the plays and strategies used by a team, often accompanied by diagrams, issued to players for them to study and memorize before the season begins.
4. Informal. any plan or set of strategies, as for outlining a campaign in business or politics.

playbook

/ ˈpleɪˌbʊk /

noun

1. a book containing a range of possible set plays
2. a notional range of possible tactics in any sphere of activity

Word History and Origins

Origin of playbook¹

First recorded in 1525–35; play + book

Example Sentences

None of this would have happened if there was an accurate playbook from the federal government.

From Washington Post

They’ve published a playbook hinting at what a “safe” Games might look like.

From Popular-Science

TV makers, including Samsung and Vizio, have seen this and, over the past few years, taken steps to follow the playbooks that Amazon and especially Roku wrote.

From Digiday

Reid liked the idea so much he incorporated it into the playbook, after they had practiced it enough.

From Washington Post

He moved to a new city, learned a new playbook and bonded with new coaches.

From Washington Post

That was the playbook the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth used to discredit then-Sen.

From The Daily Beast

The last decent rom-coms came out in 2012: Silver Linings Playbook and The Five-Year Engagement.

From The Daily Beast

No shame and desperation to drive a teammate to hand over money or the playbook to a blackmailer.

From The Daily Beast

Intentionally or not, the Putin regime has followed the Berlin 1936 playbook quite closely for Sochi.

From The Daily Beast

His last film, Silver Linings Playbook, was also nominated in all four acting categories.

From The Daily Beast

Each had a playbook beside his plate, and they were apparently studying their parts for the morning performance.

From Project Gutenberg

The fable, as set forth in the playbook, proved to be unworthy of the scenes and characters: what fable would not?

From Project Gutenberg

This adventurous playbook, which had certainly done its duty, was originally picked up by its owner on Tower-hill.

From Project Gutenberg

I say unto thee a playhouse is the school for the old dragon, and a playbook the primer of Belzebub.

From Project Gutenberg

I should like to see existing a playbook of “Hamlet” which has been altered and shortened by a joint board of actors and scholars.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• article
• book
• copy
• dialogue
• libretto
• manuscript
• scenario
• text