Meanings
plural rare turn ups for the book · alternative turn-up for the book · alternative turn up for the books · alternative turn-up for the books
- idiomaticA very unexpected, usually pleasant, surprise.
All these turn ups for the book had lasting consequences.
2011, Michael Frayn, My Father's Fortune: A Life, →ISBN, page 1043 more examples
Her mother kept well away from us, which was a turn up for the book, and for the time being at any rate, I was a model husband.
1987, Edward Dryhurst, Gilt Off the Gingerbread, →OCLCWhat a turn up for the book. After 12 successive league wins[…]Charlton were nobbled by the First Division's no-hopers, who profited from a goalkeeping bloomer then held on to their lead for dear life.
2000 March 12, Stuart Barnes, “Swindon stunner for Curbishley”, in The Guardian, →ISSN'Well, boyo, this is a turn up for the book,' observed my friend David Llewellyn without a trace of irony. 'I never expected to wind up in a hospital bed next to you.'π
2013, David Stuart Davies, A Taste for Blood, →ISBN
Origin
Originally from racecourse betting, from turn up (“stroke of luck”) and book (“record of betting; bookmaker”).
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Czech gól
- gólunexpected surprise
Finnish jymy-yllätys
- jymy-yllätysunexpected surprise
French bonne surprise, agréable surprise
- bonne surpriseunexpected surprise
- agréable surpriseunexpected surprise
Polish niespodzianka
- niespodziankaunexpected surprise
Cite this entry
turn up for the book. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/turn%20up%20for%20the%20book
“turn up for the book.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/turn%20up%20for%20the%20book. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “turn up for the book,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/turn%20up%20for%20the%20book.
Source: turn up for the book on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.