book

book1 [ buk ] noun ***

1. ) count a set of printed pages fastened together inside a cover, that may contain a story, information, poems, or other forms of writing:

a book by Nelson Mandela, entitled Long Walk to Freedom

Please open your books to page 25.

book about/on: I'm reading a book about American history.

a ) one of the sections of a long book such as the Bible:

the Book of Job

=> BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER

2. ) count something that you write in, consisting of pages fastened together inside a cover:

Visitors to the building must sign the book.

address/appointment/exercise book: I wrote his phone number in my address book.

3. ) count a set of small objects, such as stamps, tickets, or matches, fastened together inside a paper cover:

You can buy stamps in books of ten.

4. ) books plural records of the money that an organization or business has earned and spent:

do the books (=record the necessary information in them): Alfred's job was to do the books at the end of each month.

a ) records of customers that use a company's services:

on someone's books: a theatrical agency with dozens of top actors on its books

the book SPOKEN

the phone book:

Give me a ring my number's in the book.

bring someone to book BRITISH

to punish someone or make them explain their behavior publicly when they have done something wrong

by the book

correctly, following all the rules or systems for doing something in a strict way:

He always tried to do everything by the book.

a closed book

1. ) something that you accept has completely ended:

As far as she is concerned, her marriage is a closed book.

2. ) MAINLY BRITISH something or someone that is very difficult to understand:

I'm afraid accountancy is a closed book to me.

in someone's bad/good books INFORMAL

used for saying that someone is annoyed with you/pleased with you:

I'm trying to get back in her good books.

in my book MAINLY SPOKEN

used when giving your strong opinion about something:

He's the greatest athlete of all time, in my book.

on the books

a law that is on the books is part of the legal system of a country, city, etc.

an open book

something or someone that is easy to find out about or understand, because nothing is kept secret:

Her life was an open book.

read someone like a book

to be able to understand easily what someone is thinking or feeling

=> CLOSE1, JUDGE 2, THROW1

book

book 2 [ buk ] verb **

1. ) intransitive or transitive to buy tickets for an event or trip before you go, or to arrange to stay in a hotel at a particular time in the future:

book a flight/tour/trip: Our flight was booked six months ago.

book in advance: The tours are very popular, so it's best to book in advance.

fully booked: I'm sorry sir, that flight is fully booked already.

a ) transitive to arrange for someone to perform or speak at a public event:

Her job is to book bands for the festival.

book someone to do something: Several leading businessmen were booked to speak at the conference.

2. ) transitive if the police book someone, they take them to the police station and make a record of their crime:

book someone for something: They booked him for assault.

a ) BRITISH if a sports REFEREE books a player who has broken the rules, the player's name is recorded in an official book

3. ) intransitive book along/down/through AMERICAN SPOKEN to run or move quickly:

I looked out and saw this guy booking down the street.

,book `in phrasal verb BRITISH

1. ) transitive to arrange for yourself or someone else to stay at a hotel, hospital, etc.

2. ) intransitive to announce you have arrived at a hotel or event so that your name can be put on an official record

`book on phrasal verb transitive

book someone on something to buy tickets for someone for a specific trip on an airplane, train, or bus:

Could you book me on the 8:30 flight?