book (b k)n. 1. A set of written, printed, or blank pages fastened along one side and encased between protective covers. 2. a. A printed or written literary work. b. A main division of a larger printed or written work: a book of the Old Testament. 3. a. A volume in which financial or business transactions are recorded. b. books Financial or business records considered as a group: checked the expenditures on the books. 4. a. A libretto. b. The script of a play. 5. Book a. The Bible. b. The Koran. 6. a. A set of prescribed standards or rules on which decisions are based: runs the company by the book. b. Something regarded as a source of knowledge or understanding. c. The total amount of experience, knowledge, understanding, and skill that can be used in solving a problem or performing a task: We used every trick in the book to finish the project on schedule. d. Informal Factual information, especially of a private nature: What's the book on him? 7. A packet of like or similar items bound together: a book of matches. 8. A record of bets placed on a race. 9. Games The number of card tricks needed before any tricks can have scoring value, as the first six tricks taken by the declaring side in bridge. v. booked, book·ing, books v.tr. 1. To list or register in or as if in a book. 2. a. To record charges against (a person) on a police blotter. b. Sports To record the flagrant fouls of (a player) for possible disciplinary action, as in soccer. 3. To arrange for (tickets or lodgings, for example) in advance; reserve. 4. To hire or engage: The manager booked a magic show for Saturday night. 5. To allocate time for. v.intr. To make a reservation: Book early if you want good seats. adj. Idioms:1. Of or relating to knowledge learned from books rather than actual experience: has book smarts but not street smarts. 2. Appearing in a company's financial records: book profits. bring to book To demand an explanation from; call to account. in (one's) book In one's opinion: In my book they both are wrong. like a book Thoroughly; completely: I know my child like a book. one for the books A noteworthy act or occurrence. throw the book at 1. To make all possible charges against (a lawbreaker, for example). 2. To reprimand or punish severely. [Middle English bok, from Old English b  c; see bh go- in Indo-European roots.]book  er n.Synonyms: book, bespeak, engage, reserve These verbs mean to cause something to be set aside in advance, as for one's use or possession: will book a hotel room; made sure their selections were bespoken; engaged a box for the opera season; reserving a table at a restaurant. Word History: From an etymological perspective, book and beech are branches of the same tree. The Germanic root of both words is *b k-, ultimately from an Indo-European root meaning "beech tree." The Old English form of book is bc, from Germanic *bk-, "written document, book." The Old English form of beechis b ce, from Germanic *bk-jn, "beech tree," because the early Germanic peoples used strips of beech wood to write on. A similar semantic development occurred in Latin. The Latin word for book is liber, whencelibrary. Liber, however, originally meant "bark" that is, the smooth inner bark of a tree, which the early Romans likewise used to write on. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
book [bʊk]
n
1. (Communication Arts / Printing, Lithography & Bookbinding) 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.
a. a written work or composition, such as a novel, technical manual, or dictionary
b. (as modifier) the book trade book reviews
c. (in combination) bookseller bookshop bookshelf bookrack
3. a number of blank or ruled sheets of paper bound together, used to record lessons, keep accounts, etc
4. (Economics, Accounting & Finance / Accounting & Book-keeping) (plural) a record of the transactions of a business or society
5. (Performing Arts / Theatre) the script of a play or the libretto of an opera, musical, etc
6. (Christian Religious Writings / Bible) 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. (Individual Sports & Recreations / Horse Racing) Bookmaking a record of the bets made on a horse race or other event
9. (Group Games / 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)
(Christian Religious Writings / Bible)
the book (sometimes capital) the Bible
an open book a person or subject that is thoroughly understood
a closed book a person or subject that is unknown or beyond comprehension chemistry is a closed book to him
bring to book to reprimand or require (someone) to give an explanation of his conduct
close the book on to bring to a definite end we have closed the book on apartheid
(Economics, Accounting & Finance / Accounting & Book-keeping)
close the books Book-keeping to balance accounts in order to prepare a statement or report
cook the books Informal to make fraudulent alterations to business or other accounts
in my book according to my view of things
in someone's good or bad books regarded by someone with favour (or disfavour)
(Economics, Accounting & Finance / Accounting & Book-keeping)
keep the books to keep written records of the finances of a business or other enterprise
on the books
a. enrolled as a member
b. registered or recorded
read (someone) like a book to understand (a person, his motives, character, etc.) thoroughly and clearly
throw the book at
a. to charge with every relevant offence
b. to inflict the most severe punishment on
vb
1. to reserve (a place, passage, etc.) or engage the services of (a performer, driver, etc.) in advance to book a flight to book a band
2. (tr) to take the name and address of (a person guilty of a minor offence) with a view to bringing a prosecutionhe was booked for ignoring a traffic signal
3. (Team Sports / Soccer) (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
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 6th Edition 2003. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003
Book collection of tablets, sheets of paper, or similar material strung or bound together.
Examples: book of beauty, 1595; of bitter passion, 1532; of gold leaf [separated by vellum leaves]; of knowledge, 1667; of love, 1592; of nature, 1830; of precepts, 1380; of scorn, 1847; of silk [bundle of skeins of raw silk].
Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
