book
Americannoun
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books
plural
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a handwritten or printed work of fiction or nonfiction, usually on sheets of paper fastened or bound together within covers.
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a work of fiction or nonfiction in an electronic format.
Your child can listen to or read the book online.
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a number of sheets of blank or ruled paper bound together for writing, recording business transactions, etc.
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a division of a literary work, especially one of the larger divisions.
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the Book, the Bible.
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Music. the text or libretto of an opera, operetta, or musical.
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books. books of account.
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Jazz. the total repertoire of a band.
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a script or story for a play.
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a record of bets, as on a horse race.
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Cards. the number of basic tricks or cards that must be taken before any trick or card counts in the score.
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a set or packet of tickets, checks, stamps, matches, etc., bound together like a book.
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anything that serves for the recording of facts or events.
The petrified tree was a book of Nature.
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Sports. a collection of facts and information about the usual playing habits, weaknesses, methods, etc., of an opposing team or player, especially in baseball.
The White Sox book on Mickey Mantle cautioned pitchers to keep the ball fast and high.
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Stock Exchange.
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the customers served by each registered representative in a brokerage house.
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a loose-leaf binder kept by a specialist to record orders to buy and sell stock at specified prices.
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a pile or package of leaves, as of tobacco.
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Mineralogy. a thick block or crystal of mica.
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a magazine: used especially in magazine publishing.
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Slang. bookmaker.
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the book,
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a set of rules, conventions, or standards.
The solution was not according to the book but it served the purpose.
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the telephone book.
I've looked him up, but he's not in the book.
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verb (used with object)
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books,
present (3rd person singular)
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booked,
past participle, past
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booking
present participle
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to enter in a book or list; record; register.
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to reserve or make a reservation for (a hotel room, passage on a ship, etc.).
We booked a table at our favorite restaurant.
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to register or list (a person) for a place, transportation, appointment, etc..
The travel agent booked us for next week's cruise.
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to engage for one or more performances.
- Antonyms:
- cancel
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to enter an official charge against (an arrested suspect) on a police register.
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to act as a bookmaker for (a bettor, bet, or sum of money).
The Philadelphia syndicate books 25 million dollars a year on horse racing.
verb (used without object)
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books,
present (3rd person singular)
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booked,
past participle, past
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booking
present participle
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to register one's name.
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to engage a place, services, etc.
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Slang.
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to study hard, as a student before an exam.
He left the party early to book.
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to leave; depart.
I'm bored with this party, let's book.
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to work as a bookmaker.
He started a restaurant with money he got from booking.
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adjective
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of or relating to a book or books.
the book department;
a book salesman.
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derived or learned from or based on books.
a book knowledge of sailing.
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shown by a book of account.
The firm's book profit was $53,680.
verb phrase
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book out to sign out, as at a job.
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book up to sell out in advance.
The hotel is booked up for the Christmas holidays.
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book in to sign in, as at a job.
idioms
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one for the book / books, a noteworthy incident; something extraordinary.
The daring rescue was one for the book.
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by the book, according to the correct or established form; in the usual manner.
an unimaginative individual who does everything by the book.
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without book,
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from memory.
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without authority.
to punish without book.
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in one's good books, in favor; liked by someone.
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like a book, completely; thoroughly.
She knew the area like a book.
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throw the book at,
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to sentence (an offender, lawbreaker, etc.) to the maximum penalties for all charges against that person.
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to punish or chide severely.
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in one's book, in one's personal judgment or opinion.
In my book, he's not to be trusted.
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off the books, done or performed for cash or without keeping full business records: especially as a way to avoid paying income tax, employment benefits, etc..
Much of his work as a night watchman is done off the books.
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book it, see book it.
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make book,
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to accept or place the bets of others, as on horse races, especially as a business.
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to wager; bet.
You can make book on it that he won't arrive in time.
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in one's bad books, out of favor; disliked by someone.
He's in the boss's bad books.
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write the book, to be the prototype, originator, leader, etc., of.
So far as investment banking is concerned, they wrote the book.
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close the books, to balance accounts at the end of an accounting period; settle accounts.
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bring to book, to call to account; bring to justice.
Someday he will be brought to book for his misdeeds.
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on the books, entered in a list or record.
He claims to have graduated from Harvard, but his name is not on the books.
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cook the books, cook
noun
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a number of printed or written pages bound together along one edge and usually protected by thick paper or stiff pasteboard covers See also hardback paperback
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a written work or composition, such as a novel, technical manual, or dictionary
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( as modifier )
the book trade
book reviews
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( in combination )
bookseller
bookshop
bookshelf
bookrack
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a number of blank or ruled sheets of paper bound together, used to record lessons, keep accounts, etc
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(plural) a record of the transactions of a business or society
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the script of a play or the libretto of an opera, musical, etc
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a major division of a written composition, as of a long novel or of the Bible
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a number of tickets, sheets, stamps, etc, fastened together along one edge
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bookmaking a record of the bets made on a horse race or other event
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(in card games) the number of tricks that must be taken by a side or player before any trick has a scoring value
in bridge, six of the 13 tricks form the book
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strict or rigid regulations, rules, or standards (esp in the phrases according to the book, by the book )
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a source of knowledge or authority
the book of life
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a telephone directory (in the phrase in the book )
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(sometimes capital) the Bible
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a person or subject that is thoroughly understood
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a person or subject that is unknown or beyond comprehension
chemistry is a closed book to him
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to reprimand or require (someone) to give an explanation of his conduct
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to bring to a definite end
we have closed the book on apartheid
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accounting to balance accounts in order to prepare a statement or report
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informal to make fraudulent alterations to business or other accounts
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according to my view of things
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regarded by someone with disfavour
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regarded by someone with favour
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to keep written records of the finances of a business or other enterprise
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enrolled as a member
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registered or recorded
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to understand a person, or his motives, character, etc, thoroughly and clearly
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to charge with every relevant offence
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to inflict the most severe punishment on
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verb
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to reserve (a place, passage, etc) or engage the services of (a performer, driver, etc) in advance
to book a flight
to book a band
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(tr) to take the name and address of (a person guilty of a minor offence) with a view to bringing a prosecution
he was booked for ignoring a traffic signal
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(tr) (of a football referee) to take the name of (a player) who grossly infringes the rules while playing, two such acts resulting in the player's dismissal from the field
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archaic (tr) to record in a book
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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booksimple
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bookssimple
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have bookedperfect
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has bookedperfect
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am bookingprogressive
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are bookingprogressive
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is bookingprogressive
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have been bookingperfect progressive
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has been bookingperfect progressive
Past
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bookedsimple
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had bookedperfect
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was bookingprogressive
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were bookingprogressive
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had been bookingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of book
First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English bลc; cognate with Dutch boek, Old Norse bลk, German Buch; akin to Gothic boka โletter (of the alphabet)โ and not of known relation to beech, as is often assumed
Explanation
For a lot of kids, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" was their first experience of really falling in love with a book, or a collection of printed words or illustrations bound together. Book is a widely-known word with a whole lot of less well-known meanings. The noun book can refer to a bunch of pages bound together, as in a book you read, but also a book of tickets or stamps, a section of a larger work of literature (like a book of the Bible), or the written script of a stage play. Book can also be a verb meaning "to record information about a criminal suspect" or "to reserve," which you could use to say, "Let's book a room at the nicest hotel in Maui this winter."
Vocabulary lists containing book
Book Words for Book Worms
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com โ one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Theater - Introductory
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Theater - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
In his excellent new book, “More Rules for Aging,” Roger Rosenblatt, 85, writes: “Old as you are, you have plenty of time to do something. Do something.”
From MarketWatch โ Aug. 23, 2026
But in my 2026 book, “Strikingly Similar,” I explore how, throughout the medieval period, the Renaissance and into the early modern era, an ethos of “imitatio” prevailed.
From Salon โ Aug. 23, 2026
But he knew the late owner personally, a customer named Tom, and “I know Tom would not want that book sent to the guillotine,” Brown told The Journal.
From The Wall Street Journal โ Aug. 22, 2026
It's when people can donate into a pot of money that can be claimed by others to cover the cost of things like a coffee or a book.
From BBC โ Aug. 22, 2026
Pretending that a book he used to keep his accounts was a prayer book, the innkeeper sang a couple of psalms and finished the ceremony.
From "Adventures of Don Quixote" by Argentina Palacios
While it’s definitely sporty, Spohn has carefully curated Swordplay LA’s atmosphere to be about storytelling — acknowledging the books, TV and films that inspire the club’s clientele.
From Los Angeles Times โ Aug. 24, 2026
Copyright laws also underscore the premium we place on originality by granting creators – and even their heirs – long periods of exclusive rights for books, music and other artistic works.
From Salon โ Aug. 23, 2026
This year, Atkins, 78, published her first two children’s books, “The Turquoise Butterfly” and “Dear Deer.”
From MarketWatch โ Aug. 23, 2026
The measure of their success will be judged on the pitch and on the books.
From BBC โ Aug. 23, 2026
Would I be in the library poring over books if I didn’t have English?
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
Two more events are planned for 13 September and 2 December and must be booked in advance via the Barbican website.
From BBC โ Aug. 23, 2026
In a study for online travel giant Expedia, 13 percent of American travellers said they had booked a trip after seeing a destination on screen.
From Barron's โ Aug. 22, 2026
He is booked on a couple of Regent cruises but his family wonders if going solo will make him lonelier.
From The Wall Street Journal โ Aug. 21, 2026
When he first booked the part, Gardner says he tried to prepare for what was in store.
From Los Angeles Times โ Aug. 19, 2026
As Teddy and I booked past the fire station there was a road off to the left, a dead end that ran into a metal fence.
From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah
According to Fuentes’ jail booking information, Wednesday was his 19th birthday.
From Los Angeles Times โ Aug. 20, 2026
Earlier this year, the CMA ordered two other driving schools to give refunds to more than 80,000 customers after they did not disclose the total price for lessons upfront during the online booking process.
From BBC โ Aug. 19, 2026
Or you can find a cheaper booking on your own and ask the agent to swap out the pricier item in your itinerary.
From MarketWatch โ Aug. 18, 2026
Chiu is fond of the concierge service for booking restaurant reservations, selecting gifts and obtaining tickets to events.
From The Wall Street Journal โ Aug. 18, 2026
It would be more than a clue; it would be like booking anyone looking for them on a chartered bus ride straight to the hideaway.
From "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" by E.L. Konigsburg
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, ยฉ Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritageยฎ Idioms Dictionary copyright ยฉ 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
