book
book — noun
1. a long piece of writing published for people to read, either on paper or on a sc
a long piece of writing published for people to read, either on paper or on a screen.
Leila finished a history book about Taiwan on the train home.
book about + topic
Our teacher asked each student to bring one English book on Friday.
book as assigned reading
Bao downloaded the book to his tablet before the flight to Manila.
digital book use
The new book sold out at the museum shop by noon.
- read a book
- write a book
- publish a book
- e-book
Grammar Patterns
a book about + topic
write / publish / read a book
Usage Note
Often used when you talk about an author, title, subject, or digital version. Distinguish from sense 2, which focuses on the physical object you can hold.
2. pages joined under one cover, used as something you read or write in.
pages joined under one cover, used as something you read or write in.
Theo dropped his maths book in a puddle outside the school gate.
physical object you can carry
Nadia keeps a small black book beside the phone for numbers.
book used for writing notes
The nurse opened the record book and wrote today's temperature inside.
write in a book
One leg of the kitchen table stood on a thick book.
- open a book
- carry a book
- record book
- exercise book
Grammar Patterns
open / carry / drop a book
write in a book
Usage Note
Choose this sense when the sentence is about size, weight, shape, or where the book is lying. Unlike sense 1, this sense also covers blank or partly blank books used for writing.
3. a large named division inside a long work, especially in the Bible.
a large named division inside a long work, especially in the Bible.
Our class read the Book of Ruth before the school trip.
Book of + name
The final book of the poem describes the king's return home.
book of + long work
In the third book, the hero finally meets his lost sister.
Professor Kim compared the first two books of the law text.
- first book
- final book
- Book of Ruth
Grammar Patterns
the first / final book of + work
Book of + name
Usage Note
Common with long religious, legal, or epic works that are split into major parts. This is not the whole publication in sense 1, but one large section within it.
4. small pieces such as stamps, tickets, or matches sold together in a thin tear-of
small pieces such as stamps, tickets, or matches sold together in a thin tear-off booklet.
Ravi bought a small book of stamps at the post office.
a book of + small items
The usher handed us a book of raffle tickets at the door.
book of tickets
Mina kept a book of matches in the drawer beside the sink.
Each child received a book of coupons for the summer fair.
- a book of stamps
- a book of tickets
- a book of matches
Grammar Patterns
a book of + plural noun
Usage Note
Almost always appears in the pattern 'a book of ...', especially with stamps, tickets, matches, or coupons. The items are small and made to be torn off or used one by one.
5. the account records showing what a business has paid, taken in, or still owes.
the account records showing what a business has paid, taken in, or still owes.
The cafe owner checked the books before paying the milk company.
check the books
Our aunt keeps the shop's books on an old laptop.
keep the books
After the fire, the accountant rebuilt the books from saved emails.
The buyer asked to see the company's books before signing anything.
see the books before purchase
- keep the books
- check the books
- open the books
- balance the books
- accounts
the most common everyday alternative in business
- ledgers
more technical; stresses formal account books
- financial records
clear but less idiomatic than 'the books'
Grammar Patterns
keep / check / open the books
the company's books
Usage Note
Usually plural: 'the books'. Common with verbs like keep, check, open, and balance. Distinguish from sense 6, which belongs to betting rather than ordinary business accounts.
Common Mistakes
6. the set of bets a bookmaker has taken on the possible result of a race, match, o
the set of bets a bookmaker has taken on the possible result of a race, match, or similar event.
By noon, the bookmaker's book showed too many bets on City United.
the book on + team
Rain before the race changed the book as gamblers backed different horses.
book as betting record
The manager closed the book five minutes before the first kick.
close the book
A late goal saved the book because fewer fans won their bets.
- open the book
- close the book
- the book on a team
- save the book
- betting ledger
descriptive phrase rather than a fixed everyday term
- betting list
plain explanation of what is recorded
Grammar Patterns
open / close the book
the book on + team / horse
Usage Note
Used in betting language, especially with verbs like open, close, balance, or save. Distinguish from sense 5: both involve records of money, but this sense is specifically about bets accepted by a bookmaker.
This means that someone is pleased with you or annoyed with you.
After I helped her clean, I was in Maya's good books.
Are you in your boss's bad books for being late?
This means to punish someone for doing something wrong and make them explain their actions.
The company was brought to book for polluting the river.
Will the police bring the thief to book for the robbery?
by the book
idiomThis means following rules and instructions very strictly.
The new manager does everything by the book.
Did the officer follow the procedure by the book?
This means to stop trying to do something because you no longer think you will succeed or find a solution.
The team closed the book on the failed project.
Has the police closed the book on the missing person case?
This refers to a subject or person that you know nothing about.
Advanced mathematics is a closed book to me.
Why is her past a closed book to everyone?
cook the books
idiomThis means to change financial records or facts dishonestly or illegally.
The accountant was caught cooking the books for years.
Did the manager cook the books to hide the losses?
This means you should not form an opinion about someone or something based only on appearance.
Don't judge a book by its cover; that quiet girl is a great singer.
He looked rough, but don't judge a book by its cover.
This means every possible method, whether honest or not.
The salesman used every trick in the book to sell the car.
Did he try every trick in the book to win the game?
This means to be reading a book.
Sara always has her nose in a book during lunch.
Why do you have your head in a book all the time?
the history books
idiomThis refers to the record of important achievements or events in history.
The scientist's discovery earned her a place in the history books.
Will this event be remembered in the history books?
in my book
idiomThis is used when giving your personal opinion about something.
In my book, honesty is the most important quality.
That behavior is unacceptable in my book.
This means to be on an organization's list, for example of people available for work.
We have three new nurses on our books this month.
Are there any plumbers on your books right now?
an open book
idiomThis describes someone or their life that is easy to understand and know everything about.
My grandmother's life is an open book to the family.
Is he really an open book, or does he hide things?
This means to easily understand what someone is thinking or feeling.
Mia can read her brother like a book; she knows when he's lying.
Can you read your teacher like a book during exams?
This means to be convenient or useful for you or someone else.
If you can work weekends, that suits my book.
Does the new schedule suit your book?
This means to copy someone's behavior because they are successful.
You should take a leaf out of Diego's book and study harder.
Why not take a leaf from her book and start exercising?
This means to punish someone as severely as possible for an offense.
The judge threw the book at the repeat offender.
Will the court throw the book at the corrupt official?
book — verb
1. to reserve a seat, room, table, or performer for a later time.
to reserve a seat, room, table, or performer for a later time.
Priya booked two window seats on the early train to Kaohsiung.
book + seats for travel
We booked a table by the lake for my parents' anniversary dinner.
book + table for event
The festival booked a jazz band from Seoul for Saturday night.
book + performer for event
Omar forgot to book the hotel room until every cheap one had gone.
Guests can book online after choosing a room type.
intransitive use
- book a room
- book a table
- book early
- book online
Grammar Patterns
book + noun (room, seat, table, flight)
book + performer + for + event
book online / in advance
Usage Note
Object is usually a service, place, seat, or performer that will be ready later. Often used with time words, websites, and advance planning. Distinguish from sense 2, which is about officially writing down a wrong action.
Common Mistakes
2. if police or a sports official book someone, they officially record that person'
if police or a sports official book someone, they officially record that person's name after a rule or law has been broken.
The referee booked Tariq for pulling a striker's shirt in the box.
book + player + for + foul
Police booked the driver after the crash beside the market.
police use
A second foul in the last minute got Diego booked.
get booked
The officer booked two men for fighting outside the station.
- book a player
- book for speeding
- get booked
- book someone for fighting
Grammar Patterns
book + person + for + offence
get booked
Usage Note
Common with police, referees, and other officials. In sports, passive forms such as 'got booked' or 'was booked' are especially common. This sense does not mean making a reservation.
Common Mistakes
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
'Book' is the broad everyday word for a published work that people read. 'Novel' is narrower: it must be a long fictional story. 'Textbook' is written for study and is usually used in school or training. 'Manual' gives practical instructions, such as how to use a machine. 'Volume' is more formal and often refers to one book in a set or series, or simply sounds more technical than 'book'. So you can say 'I bought a book about birds', but 'novel' would be wrong there. You can say 'The repair manual is in the drawer' or 'Volume two explains the war years'.
Common collocations
Etymology
English 'book' comes from Old English 'boc'. It belongs to a Germanic word family seen in Dutch 'boek' and German 'Buch'. Many historians connect the word with 'beech', because early Germanic people may have carved letters on beech wood or beech tablets. The oldest meaning was the physical written object; from that, English later developed senses for a literary work, a section of a long text, business account records, and finally the verb meaning 'reserve in advance'.