chapter and verse

American  

noun

1. any specific chapter and verse of the Bible, as used when citing the text.

2. full, cited authority, as for any quotation, opinion, action, etc..

   Give me chapter and verse for the information you've provided so far.

3. Informal.

   1. detailed information.

   2. a set of regulations or rules.

---

chapter and verse Cultural  

1. The means of locating passages in the Bible (see also Bible). Thus Matthew 19:18 means chapter 19, verse 18, of the Book of Matthew.

---

chapter and verse Idioms  

1. The precise authority backing up a statement or view; established rules for or detailed information about something. For example, You can't withdraw a card after you've played it; I'll cite you the rules, chapter and verse. The term alludes to the chapter and verse of a quotation from the Bible, long regarded as an ultimate authority. [Early 1600s]

---

Discover More

In general use, giving “chapter and verse” means giving precise evidence for a proposition.

Etymology

Origin of chapter and verse

First recorded in 1620–30

Example Sentences

A gray-haired woman in a T-shirt stood stoically beside a large banner bearing a Bible quote with chapter and verse notation.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2024

They were keyed to chapter and verse, and by the end of the century, page numbers came into use.

From Washington Post • Feb. 18, 2022

We’re about to get chapter and verse of how good this young team really are.

From The Guardian • Jan. 1, 2022

"There's a ton of research and studies that cite chapter and verse of not only the physiological benefits of walking but also the mental health benefits," Hanke explains.

From BBC • Oct. 28, 2021

The family split up and Minnie was raised by a grandmother who can quote the Bible chapter and verse and drives a beat-up Cadillac with a CB radio in it.

From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García