good book

plural good books

1. Synonym of good books (“favorable regard; good graces”).

   2012, David Pawson, JESUS: The Seven Wonders of HIStory, Anchor Recordings Ltd. ... and then, because Jesus died for you and paid for your sin already, you can be acquitted, justified in God's sight, put in his good book.

   5 more examples

   Hellish as it is for an employee to feel Galotti's wrath, being in his good book is no picnic, either.

   1997, Spy, page 54

   “Going all he-man on her isn't exactly going to put you in her good book.” He blinked. “You have eyes in the back of your head now?” A beatific smile.

   2010, Nalini Singh, Play of Passion, Penguin, →ISBN

   We've got to lick the big boss's boots so that we'll be in his good book. For survival we have to be Sunday saint and everyday sinner.

   2014, Yingtien A. Shih, Bleating in Southern California: Confucius, Lao-Tzu, M. Twain, O. Wilde, Etc., Andy Shih, page 226

   A smile brightened her face, and Dante knew he was back in her good book. “Are you taking me to the opera?” she asked. Now it was his turn to frown.

   2016, Pamela Yaye, Seduced by the Mogul, Harlequin, →ISBN, page 183

   These two criteria had given me a slight advantage over others, and maybe because of this, I was one of the staff listed in her good book.

   2021, Capt. Zainal Abdin Yahaya (R) pck, Not a Failure... Just a Hiccup: From Bodyguard to Senior Vice-President, Partridge Publishing Singapore

   Synonyms: good books

2. Alternative letter-case form of Good Book (“the Christian Bible”).

   We read the good book because it is a good book. We explore the stories because they are transfixing stories, dense and compelling.

   2017, Andrew Blauner, The Good Book: Writers Reflect on Favorite Bible Passages, Simon and Schuster, →ISBN

   3 more examples

   And ever take Give not your soul to vain philosophy: / In his good book delight; there lies / The drooping Christian at the hour of death […]

   1835, Museum of Foreign Literature, Science and Art, page 45

   Now our Indian children can read the good book. 167. In consequence of the introduction of the gospel, I suppose your tribe have relinquished […]

   1837, The House of Lords, page 31

   And don't worry about why god chose not to include that prediction about being a Nazarene anywhere in his good book. Just take his word for it ...

   2019, Ward Ricker, Holy Hustle: A Bible Parody: Containing all 66 books of both the Old and the New Hustles, Ward Ricker, →ISBN, page 559

3. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see good, book.

alternative Book

1. ChristianityThe Bible.

   I told him "If Red men will learn the good Book, they may know as much as white men [...]"

   1775, John Wesley, An extract of the Rev. Mr John Wesley's journal, from his embarking for Georgia, to his return to London., page 22

   2 more examples

   Spare the rod and spile the child, as the Good Book says. I'm a laying up sin and suffering for us both, I know.

   1876, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], chapter I, in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Hartford, Conn.: The American Publishing Company, →OCLC, page 19

   "Mind ye, Paitrick," he used to say, "that the Good Book says, 'A soft answer turneth away wrath.' Now keep your temper, laddie. [...]"

   1894, S. R. Crockett, chapter 4, in The Raiders, page 40