- a written work or composition that has been published (printed on
pages bound together); "I am reading a good book on economics"
- physical
objects consisting of a number of pages bound together; "he used a
large book as a doorstop"
- record: a compilation of the known
facts regarding something or someone; "Al Smith used to say, `Let's look
at the record'"; "his name is in all the record books"
- script:
a written version of a play or other dramatic composition; used in
preparing for a performance
- ledger: a record in which
commercial accounts are recorded; "they got a subpoena to examine our
books"
- a collection of playing cards satisfying the rules of a
card game
- a collection of rules or prescribed standards on
the basis of which decisions are made; "they run things by the book
around here"
- engage for a performance; "Her agent had booked
her for several concerts in Tokyo"
- Koran: the sacred writings
of Islam revealed by God to the prophet Muhammad during his life at
Mecca and Medina
- reserve: arrange for and reserve (something
for someone else) in advance; "reserve me a seat on a flight"; "The
agent booked tickets to the show for the whole family"; "please hold a
table at Maxim's"
- Bible: the sacred writings of the Christian
religions; "he went to carry the Word to the heathen"
- record a
charge in a police register; "The policeman booked her when she tried
to solicit a man"
- a major division of a long written
composition; "the book of Isaiah"
- register in a hotel booker
- a
number of sheets (ticket or stamps etc.) bound together on one edge;
"he bought a book of stamps"
wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
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.
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.
Idioms:
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
*bk-,
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
beech is
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, whence
library. 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 prosecution he 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
4. (tr) Archaic to record in a book
See also
book in,
book into,
book out,
book up
[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)]
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.
