by the book
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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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Words nearby by the book
by surprise, by-talk, byte, by the balls, by the board, by the book, by the bye, by the day, by the dozen, by the numbers, by the same token
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Example sentences from the Web for by the book
Idioms and Phrases with by the book
by the book
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.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.