book

plural books · alternative obsolete boke · alternative archaic booke

1. A collection of sheets of paper bound together to hinge at one edge, containing printed or written material, pictures, etc.

   She opened the book to page 37 and began to read aloud.

   5 more examples

   Knowing I lou'd my bookes, he furniſhd me / From mine owne Library, with volumes, that / I prize aboue my Dukedome.

   1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], page 3, column 1

   I repeat: it suffices that a book be possible for it to exist. Only the impossible is excluded. For example: no book can be a ladder, although no doubt there are books which discuss and negate and demonstrate this possibility and others whose structure corresponds to that of a ladder.

   1962, Luis Borges, translated by James East Irby, The Library of Babel

   I can be anything. Take a look! It's in a book: A reading rainbow.

   1983, Steve Horelick et al., Reading Rainbow

   Trefusis's quarters could be described in one word. Books. Books and books and books. And then, just when an observer might be lured into thinking that that must be it, more books... Trefusis himself was highly dismissive of them. ‘Waste of trees,’ he had once said. ‘Stupid, ugly, clumsy, heavy things. The sooner technology comes up with a reliable alternative the better... The world is so fond of saying that books should be “treated with respect”. But when are we told that words should be treated with respect?’

   1991, Stephen Fry, The Liar, page 51

   He was frustrated because he couldn't find anything about dinosaurs in the book.

2. A long work fit for publication, typically prose, such as a novel or textbook, and typically published as such a bound collection of sheets, but now sometimes electronically as an e-book.

   I have three copies of his first book.

   2 more examples

   “I would never read a book,” he once told an interviewer. “I don’t want to say no book is ever worth reading, but I actually do believe something pretty close to that.”

   2022 December 6, Stephen Marche, quoting Sam Bankman-Fried, “The College Essay Is Dead”, in The Atlantic

   They read some books Sharing their moods They know everything Whatever it can mean

   2025 July 19, Pacifik, “Freethinker”, in Wonderfool, performed by Pacifik

3. A major division of a long work.

   Genesis is the first book of the Bible.

   1 more example

   Many readers find the first book of A Tale of Two Cities to be confusing.

   Synonyms: tome, volume

4. gamblingA record of betting (from the use of a notebook to record what each person has bet).

   I'm running a book on who is going to win the race.

5. informalA bookmaker (a person who takes bets on sporting events and similar); bookie; turf accountant.
6. A convenient collection, in a form resembling a book, of small paper items for individual use.

   a book of stamps

   2 more examples

   a book of raffle tickets

   a book of matches (matchbook)

   Synonyms: booklet

7. entertainmentThe script of a musical or opera.

   The guild helps ensure that the ownership and control of the music, lyrics, and book of a show remain in the hands of its authors and composers—not the producers.

   2010, David Baskerville, Tim Baskerville, Music Business Handbook and Career Guide, page 172

   Synonyms: libretto

8. plural normallyRecords of the accounts of a business.

   Synonyms: account, record

9. colloquiallawA book award, a recognition for receiving the highest grade in a class (traditionally an actual book, but recently more likely a letter or certificate acknowledging the achievement).
10. Six tricks taken by one side.
11. slangcard gamesFour of a kind.
12. hobbiesA document, held by the referee, of the incidents that happened in a game.
13. broadlyhobbiesA list of all players who have been booked (received a warning) in a game.

    Celtic captain Scott Brown joined team-mate Majstorovic in the book and Rangers' John Fleck was also shown a yellow card as an ill-tempered half drew to a close.

    2011 March 2, Andy Campbell, “Celtic 1 - 0 Rangers”, in BBC

14. hobbiesThe list of mares that a stallion will breed in a given season.
15. hobbiesA list of the races that a jockey is scheduled to ride in.
16. cartomancyThe twenty-sixth Lenormand card.
17. figurativelyAny source of instruction.
18. with definite articleThe accumulated body of knowledge passed down among black pimps.

    The Book is an oral tradition of belief in The Life that has been passed down from player to player from generation to generation.

    1974, Adrienne Lanier Seward, The Black Pimp as a Folk Hero, page 11

    1 more example

    On the other hand The Book is an oral tradition containing the rules and principles to be adopted by a pimp who wishes to be a player.

    1994, Antiquarian Book Monthly, volume 21, page 36

19. informaladvertisingA portfolio of one's previous work in the industry.

    Your portfolio — your book — has to be killer.

    Idea Industry (page 27)

    1 more example

    Getting your book (portfolio) organised is the first step, and knowing both what to include, and what to leave out, is an essential step towards achieving that important agency placement.

    2017, Nik Mahon, Basics Advertising 02: Art Direction, page 8

20. uncountableboard gamesThe sum of chess knowledge in the opening or endgame.

    A book move

    4 more examples

    The opposite-colored bishops endgame is usually a book draw.

    out of book

    White to move and win. How can he do it? The BK plans a march to h8, eating the f4 pawn en route, for a book draw.

    2018 April 6, Leonard Barden, “Chess: Schoolboy Vincent Keymer secures shock triumph at Grenke Open”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 12 Jan 2023

    This seems certain to simplify into a battle between White's king, rook and two pawns against Black's king and rook. In some cases a book draw is possible. But a book win is more likely.

    2020, Andrew Soltis, How to Swindle in Chess, Batsford Books, →ISBN

21. historicalA package of silk.

    1 more example

    This machinery was provided with a rotary drum with received upon its periphery the "books" of silk to be operated upon and presented them to travelling, combing, or dressing surfaces. The books were clamped and released automatically by the aid of bars formed with wedges and put in operation by screws […]

    1867, John I. Knight, Mechanics Magazine, page 52

present singular third person books · participle present booking · participle past booked · past booked

1. transitiveTo reserve (something) for future use.

   I can book tickets for the concert next week.

   2 more examples

   I want to book a hotel room for tomorrow night.

   I haven't booked, so I don't have a clue as to whether the service will be busy or not. Supposedly, reservations are compulsory, but I want to find out what would happen if you just turn up.

   2020 December 2, Paul Bigland, “My weirdest and wackiest Rover yet”, in Rail, page 68

   Synonyms: reserve

2. transitiveTo write down, to register or record in a book or as in a book.

   They booked that message from the hill.

   Synonyms: make a note of, note down, record, write down

3. transitiveTo add a name to the list of people who are participating in something.

   I booked a flight to New York.

   Synonyms: sign up, register, reserve, schedule, enroll

4. transitivegovernmentTo record the name and other details of a suspected offender and the offence for later judicial action.

   The police booked him for driving too fast.

5. hobbiesTo issue a caution to, usually a yellow card, or a red card if a yellow card has already been issued.
6. intransitiveslangTo travel very fast.

   He was really booking until he passed the speed trap.

   Synonyms: bomb, hurtle, rocket, speed, shoot, whiz

7. To record bets as bookmaker.
8. transitivelaw student slangTo receive the highest grade in a class.

   The top three students had a bet on which one was going to book their intellectual property class.

9. intransitiveslangTo move or leave, often hurriedly and abruptly.

   He was here earlier, but he booked.

1. Northern EnglandUKdialectalpastsimple past of bake

1. abbreviationellipsisChristianityEllipsis of the Good Book, the Bible.
2. IslamThe Qur'an, especially its supposed divine form inclusive of the true teachings previously provided to the "People of the Book", Jews and Christians.

plural Books

1. A surname.