book

[ book ]

noun

1. a handwritten or printed work of fiction or nonfiction, usually on sheets of paper fastened or bound together within covers.
2. a work of fiction or nonfiction in an electronic format: e-book ( def 1 ).

   Your child can listen to or read the book online.

3. a number of sheets of blank or ruled paper bound together for writing, recording business transactions, etc.
4. a division of a literary work, especially one of the larger divisions.
5. the Book, the Bible.
6. Music. the text or libretto of an opera, operetta, or musical.
7. books. books of account.
8. Jazz. the total repertoire of a band.
9. a script or story for a play.
10. a record of bets, as on a horse race.
11. Cards. the number of basic tricks or cards that must be taken before any trick or card counts in the score.
12. a set or packet of tickets, checks, stamps, matches, etc., bound together like a book.
13. anything that serves for the recording of facts or events:

    The petrified tree was a book of Nature.

14. Sports. a collection of facts and information about the usual playing habits, weaknesses, methods, etc., of an opposing team or player, especially in baseball:

    The White Sox book on Mickey Mantle cautioned pitchers to keep the ball fast and high.

15. Stock Exchange.
    1. the customers served by each registered representative in a brokerage house.
    2. a loose-leaf binder kept by a specialist to record orders to buy and sell stock at specified prices.
16. a pile or package of leaves, as of tobacco.
17. Mineralogy. a thick block or crystal of mica.
18. a magazine: used especially in magazine publishing.
19. book value.
20. Slang. bookmaker ( def 1 ).
21. the book,
    1. a set of rules, conventions, or standards:

       The solution was not according to the book but it served the purpose.

    2. the telephone book:

       I've looked him up, but he's not in the book.

verb (used with object)

1. to enter in a book or list; record; register.
2. to reserve or make a reservation for (a hotel room, passage on a ship, etc.):

   We booked a table at our favorite restaurant.

3. to register or list (a person) for a place, transportation, appointment, etc.:

   The travel agent booked us for next week's cruise.

4. to engage for one or more performances.

   Synonyms: program, slate, bill, schedule, reserve

   Antonyms: cancel

5. to enter an official charge against (an arrested suspect) on a police register.
6. to act as a bookmaker for (a bettor, bet, or sum of money):

   The Philadelphia syndicate books 25 million dollars a year on horse racing.

verb (used without object)

1. to register one's name.
2. to engage a place, services, etc.
3. Slang.
   1. to study hard, as a student before an exam:

      He left the party early to book.

   2. to leave; depart:

      I'm bored with this party, let's book.

   3. to work as a bookmaker:

      He started a restaurant with money he got from booking.

adjective

1. of or relating to a book or books:

   the book department;

   a book salesman.

2. derived or learned from or based on books:

   a book knowledge of sailing.

3. shown by a book of account:

   The firm's book profit was $53,680.

verb phrase

1. to sign out, as at a job.
2. to sell out in advance:

   The hotel is booked up for the Christmas holidays.

3. to sign in, as at a job.

book

/ bʊk /

noun

1. a number of printed or written pages bound together along one edge and usually protected by thick paper or stiff pasteboard covers See also hardback paperback
2. 1. a written work or composition, such as a novel, technical manual, or dictionary
   2. ( as modifier )

      book reviews

      the book trade

   3. ( in combination )

      bookseller

      bookrack

      bookshelf

      bookshop

3. a number of blank or ruled sheets of paper bound together, used to record lessons, keep accounts, etc
4. plural a record of the transactions of a business or society
5. the script of a play or the libretto of an opera, musical, etc
6. a major division of a written composition, as of a long novel or of the Bible
7. a number of tickets, sheets, stamps, etc, fastened together along one edge
8. bookmaking a record of the bets made on a horse race or other event
9. (in card games) the number of tricks that must be taken by a side or player before any trick has a scoring value

   in bridge, six of the 13 tricks form the book

10. strict or rigid regulations, rules, or standards (esp in the phrases according to the book, by the book )
11. a source of knowledge or authority

    the book of life

12. a telephone directory (in the phrase in the book )
13. the book
    sometimes capital the Bible
14. an open book
    a person or subject that is thoroughly understood
15. a closed book
    a person or subject that is unknown or beyond comprehension

    chemistry is a closed book to him

16. bring to book
    to reprimand or require (someone) to give an explanation of his conduct
17. close the book on
    to bring to a definite end

    we have closed the book on apartheid

18. close the books
    accounting to balance accounts in order to prepare a statement or report
19. cook the books informal.
    to make fraudulent alterations to business or other accounts
20. in my book
    according to my view of things
21. in someone's bad books
    regarded by someone with disfavour
22. in someone's good books
    regarded by someone with favour
23. keep the books
    to keep written records of the finances of a business or other enterprise
24. on the books
    1. enrolled as a member
    2. registered or recorded
25. read someone like a book
    to understand a person, or his motives, character, etc, thoroughly and clearly
26. throw the book at
    1. to charge with every relevant offence
    2. to inflict the most severe punishment on

verb

1. to reserve (a place, passage, etc) or engage the services of (a performer, driver, etc) in advance

   to book a band

   to book a flight

2. tr to take the name and address of (a person guilty of a minor offence) with a view to bringing a prosecution

   he was booked for ignoring a traffic signal

3. tr (of a football referee) to take the name of (a player) who grossly infringes the rules while playing, two such acts resulting in the player's dismissal from the field
4. archaic.
   tr to record in a book

Other Words From

• book·less adjective
• book·like adjective
• pre·book verb
• re·book verb
• un·booked adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of book¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English bōc; cognate with Dutch boek, Old Norse bōk, German Buch; akin to Gothic boka “letter (of the alphabet)” and not of known relation to beech, as is often assumed

Word History and Origins

Origin of book¹

Old English bōc ; related to Old Norse bōk , Old High German buoh book, Gothic bōka letter; see beech (the bark of which was used as a writing surface)

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. book it, Slang. book it.
2. bring to book, to call to account; bring to justice:

   Someday he will be brought to book for his misdeeds.

3. by the book, according to the correct or established form; in the usual manner:

   an unimaginative individual who does everything by the book.

4. close the books, to balance accounts at the end of an accounting period; settle accounts.
5. cook the books, Informal. cook ¹( def 13 )
6. in one's bad books, out of favor; disliked by someone:

   He's in the boss's bad books.

7. in one's book, in one's personal judgment or opinion:

   In my book, he's not to be trusted.

8. in one's good books, in favor; liked by someone.
9. like a book, completely; thoroughly:

   She knew the area like a book.

10. make book,
    1. to accept or place the bets of others, as on horse races, especially as a business.
    2. to wager; bet:

       You can make book on it that he won't arrive in time.

11. off the books, done or performed for cash or without keeping full business records: especially as a way to avoid paying income tax, employment benefits, etc.:

    Much of his work as a night watchman is done off the books.

12. on the books, entered in a list or record:

    He claims to have graduated from Harvard, but his name is not on the books.

13. one for the book / books, a noteworthy incident; something extraordinary:

    The daring rescue was one for the book.

14. throw the book at, Informal.
    1. to sentence (an offender, lawbreaker, etc.) to the maximum penalties for all charges against that person.
    2. to punish or chide severely.
15. without book,
    1. from memory.
    2. without authority:

       to punish without book.

16. write the book, to be the prototype, originator, leader, etc., of:

    So far as investment banking is concerned, they wrote the book.

More idioms and phrases containing book

see balance the books ; black book ; bring to book ; by the book ; closed book ; close the books ; cook the books ; crack a book ; hit the books ; in one's book ; in someone's bad graces (books) ; judge a book by its cover ; know like a book ; make book ; nose in a book ; one for the books ; open book ; take a leaf out of someone's book ; throw the book at ; wrote the book on .

Example Sentences

"It's like a book. Your task is to read and interpret a book, but you don't know where to get the book from. How is the book delivered to the reader?"

From Science Daily

It's a four-day convention that is less about comic books themselves and more about accumulating pins and posters and hoodies and mystery boxes exploding with stuff you will never use.

From Salon

Rachel Syme’s foreword to the musical book says that this version of “Ironic” turns it into “an inside joke about poetic license and grammatical errors.”

From Salon

He said he would write his first short-story collection soon but wanted to get his latest book optioned into a movie.

From Los Angeles Times

Rob Henshilwood, a books and manuscripts specialist at TW Gaze auction rooms, said the range of items reflected the "collaboration" of those who worked together to help England succeed.

From BBC

Related Words

• album
• booklet
• brochure
• copy
• dictionary
• edition
• essay
• fiction
• magazine
• manual
• novel
• pamphlet
• paperback
• publication
• text
• textbook
• tome
• volume
• work
• writing