by the book

by the book
Book Book (b[oo^]k), n. [OE. book, bok, AS. b[=o]c; akin to Goth. b[=o]ka a letter, in pl. book, writing, Icel. b[=o]k, Sw. bok, Dan. bog, OS. b[=o]k, D. boek, OHG. puoh, G. buch; and fr. AS. b[=o]c, b[=e]ce, beech; because the ancient Saxons and Germans in general wrote runes on pieces of beechen board. Cf. {Beech}.] 1. A collection of sheets of paper, or similar material, blank, written, or printed, bound together; commonly, many folded and bound sheets containing continuous printing or writing. [1913 Webster]

Note: When blank, it is called a blank book. When printed, the term often distinguishes a bound volume, or a volume of some size, from a pamphlet. [1913 Webster]

Note: It has been held that, under the copyright law, a book is not necessarily a volume made of many sheets bound together; it may be printed on a single sheet, as music or a diagram of patterns. --Abbott. [1913 Webster]

2. A composition, written or printed; a treatise. [1913 Webster]

A good book is the precious life blood of a master spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

3. A part or subdivision of a treatise or literary work; as, the tenth book of ``Paradise Lost.'' [1913 Webster]

4. A volume or collection of sheets in which accounts are kept; a register of debts and credits, receipts and expenditures, etc.; -- often used in the plural; as, they got a subpoena to examine our books.

Syn: ledger, leger, account book, book of account. [1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]

5. Six tricks taken by one side, in the game of bridge or whist, being the minimum number of tricks that must be taken before any additional tricks are counted as part of the score for that hand; in certain other games, two or more corresponding cards, forming a set. [1913 Webster +PJC]

6. (Drama) a written version of a play or other dramatic composition; -- used in preparing for a performance.

Syn: script, playscript. [WordNet 1.5]

7. a set of paper objects (tickets, stamps, matches, checks etc.) bound together by one edge, like a book; as, he bought a book of stamps. [WordNet 1.5]

8. a book or list, actual or hypothetical, containing records of the best performances in some endeavor; a recordbook; -- used in the phrase

{one for the book} or

{one for the books}.

Syn: record, recordbook. [PJC]

9. (Sport) the set of facts about an athlete's performance, such as typical performance or playing habits or methods, that are accumulated by potential opponents as an aid in deciding how best to compete against that athlete; as, the book on Ted Williams suggests pitching to him low and outside. [PJC]

10. (Finance) same as {book value}. [PJC]

11. (Stock market) the list of current buy and sell orders maintained by a stock market specialist. [PJC]

12. (Commerce) the purchase orders still outstanding and unfilled on a company's ledger; as, book to bill ratio. [PJC]

Note: Book is used adjectively or as a part of many compounds; as, book buyer, bookrack, book club, book lore, book sale, book trade, memorandum book, cashbook. [1913 Webster]

{Book account}, an account or register of debt or credit in a book.

{Book debt}, a debt for items charged to the debtor by the creditor in his book of accounts.

{Book learning}, learning acquired from books, as distinguished from practical knowledge. ``Neither does it so much require book learning and scholarship, as good natural sense, to distinguish true and false.'' --Burnet.

{Book louse} (Zo["o]l.), one of several species of minute, wingless insects injurious to books and papers. They belong to the {Pseudoneuroptera}.

{Book moth} (Zo["o]l.), the name of several species of moths, the larv[ae] of which eat books.

{Book oath}, an oath made on {The Book}, or Bible.

{The Book of Books}, the Bible.

{Book post}, a system under which books, bulky manuscripts, etc., may be transmitted by mail.

{Book scorpion} (Zo["o]l.), one of the false scorpions ({Chelifer cancroides}) found among books and papers. It can run sidewise and backward, and feeds on small insects.

{Book stall}, a stand or stall, often in the open air, for retailing books.

{Canonical books}. See {Canonical}.

{In one's books}, in one's favor. ``I was so much in his books, that at his decease he left me his lamp.'' --Addison.

{To bring to book}. (a) To compel to give an account. (b) To compare with an admitted authority. ``To bring it manifestly to book is impossible.'' --M. Arnold.

{by the book}, according to standard procedures; using the correct or usual methods.

{cook the books}, make fallacious entries in or otherwise manipulate a financial record book for fraudulent purposes.

{To curse by bell, book, and candle}. See under {Bell}.

{To make book} (Horse Racing), to conduct a business of accepting or placing bets from others on horse races.

{To make a book} (Horse Racing), to lay bets (recorded in a pocket book) against the success of every horse, so that the bookmaker wins on all the unsuccessful horses and loses only on the winning horse or horses.

{off the books}, not recorded in the official financial records of a business; -- usually used of payments made in cash to fraudulently avoid payment of taxes or of employment benefits.

{one for the book}, {one for the books}, something extraordinary, such as a record-breaking performance or a remarkable accomplishment.

{To speak by the book}, to speak with minute exactness.

{to throw the book at}, to impose the maximum fine or penalty for an offense; -- usually used of judges imposing penalties for criminal acts.

{Without book}. (a) By memory. (b) Without authority.

{to write the book}, to be the leading authority in a field; -- usually used in the past tense; as, he's not just an average expert, he wrote the book. [1913 Webster +PJC]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • The Book of Books — Book Book (b[oo^]k), n. [OE. book, bok, AS. b[=o]c; akin to Goth. b[=o]ka a letter, in pl. book, writing, Icel. b[=o]k, Sw. bok, Dan. bog, OS. b[=o]k, D. boek, OHG. puoh, G. buch; and fr. AS. b[=o]c, b[=e]ce, beech; because the ancient Saxons and …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • The Book of Mozilla — is a computer Easter egg found in the Netscape and Mozilla series of web browsers. [cite news url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=980CE0D7163DF93AA35757C0A96E958260 n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/People/S/Slatalla,%20Michelle… …   Wikipedia

  • The Book of Lost Tales — The History of Middle earth Volumes I and II Volume III Volume IV Volume V Volumes VI–IX Volume X Volume XI Volume XII …   Wikipedia

  • The Book of Healing — (Arabic: الشفاء Al Shefa , Latin: Sanatio ) is a scientific and philosophical encyclopedia written by the great Islamic polymath Abū Alī ibn Sīnā (Avicenna) from Asfahana, near Bukhara in Greater Persia (now Uzbekistan). Despite its English title …   Wikipedia

  • The Book of the Duchess — is a dream vision narrative poem by Geoffrey Chaucer. The Book of the Duchess , also known as The Deth of Blaunche [ sic ] [http://www.luminarium.org/medlit/chaucerbio.htm The Life of Geoffrey Chaucer] , Encyclopedia Britannica , 1910. Accessed… …   Wikipedia

  • The Book of Lies — may refer to:In Literature/Writing * The Book of Lies (Crowley) by Aleister Crowley, first published in London in 1913. (ISBN 0 87728 516 0) * The Penguin Book of Lies (1991), edited by Philip Kerr, a book of essays on falsehoods told by… …   Wikipedia

  • The Book of Merlyn — is an Arthurian fantasy book written by T. H. White. It is the conclusion of The Once and Future King , but it was published separately and posthumously. Plot summaryThe book opens as King Arthur prepares himself for his final battle. Merlyn… …   Wikipedia

  • The Book of the Die — was written by George Cockcroft under the pen name Luke Rhinehart. It is mentioned as a fictional book in The Dice Man , Adventures of Wim , and The Search for the Dice Man , and he chose the year 2000 to make it a reality.ummaryThe book is a… …   Wikipedia

  • The Book of Tea — was written by Okakura Kakuzo in the early 20th century. It was first published in 1906, and has since been republished many times.In the book, Kakuzo introduces the term Teaism and how Tea has affected nearly every aspect of Japanese culture,… …   Wikipedia

  • The Book of the Courtier — ( it. Il Cortegiano) was written by Baldassare Castiglione over the course of many years beginning in 1508 and published in 1528 just before he died. Baldassare was inspired to write the Courtier by his experiences as a courtier of the virgin… …   Wikipedia

  • The Book of Life (film) — The Book of Life is a movie that was released in 1998, and was made by Hal Hartley. It was one of the first films shot on digital video.PlotJesus returns to earth on the eve of the new millennium planning to bring about the apocalypse, but finds… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”