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View synonyms for by the book

by the book

  1. According to established rules: “The inspector will be visiting the factory today, so let's make sure we do everything by the book.”


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Idioms and Phrases

Strictly according to the rules, as in Our trip leader is going by the book, allowing us to wander off only for short periods . Shakespeare already used the term figuratively in Romeo and Juliet (1:5): “You kiss by the book.” Also see by the numbers .

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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by the boardby the bye