book
1 of 3noun
ˈbu̇k 
1
a
: a set of written sheets of skin or paper or tablets of wood or ivory
b
: a set of written, printed, or blank sheets bound together between a front and back cover
an address book
c
: a long written or printed literary composition
reading a good book
reference books
hardcover and paperback books
d
: a major division of a treatise or literary work
the books of the Bible
e
accounting : a record of a business's financial transactions or financial condition —often used in plural
the books show a profit
see also cook the books f
: magazine sense 1a
g
: e-book
2
capitalized : bible sense 1
put his hand on the Book and took the oath
3
: something that yields knowledge or understanding
the great book of nature
her face was an open book
4
a(1)
: the total available knowledge and experience that can be brought to bear on a task or problem
tried every trick in the book
(2)
: inside information or analysis
the book on him is that he can't hit a curveball
b
: the standards or authority relevant in a situation
runs her business by the book
5
a
: all the charges that can be made against an accused person
threw the book at him
b
: a position from which one must answer for certain acts : account
bring criminals to book
6
a
musical theater : libretto
b
: the script of a play
c
music : a book of arrangements for a musician or dance orchestra : musical repertory
7
: a packet of items bound together like a book
a book of stamps
a book of matches
8
gambling
a
: bookmaker
b
: the bets registered by a bookmaker
also : the business or activity of giving odds (see odds sense 3b) and taking bets
9
card games : the number of tricks (see trick entry 1 sense 4) a cardplayer or side must win before any trick can have scoring value
bookful
ˈbu̇k-ˌfu̇l
noun book
2 of 3adjective
1
: derived from books (see book entry 1 sense 1) and not from practical experience
book learning
2
accounting : shown by ledgers
book assets
book
3 of 3verb
booked; booking; books
transitive verb
1
a
: to register (something, such as a name) for some future activity or condition (as to engage transportation or reserve lodgings)
he was booked to sail on Monday
b
: to schedule engagements for
book the band for a week
c
: to set aside time for
booking a strategy meeting
d
: to reserve in advance
book two seats at the theater
tried to make reservations, but they were all booked up
2
a
law enforcement : to enter charges against in a police register
was booked on suspicion of murder
b
of a referee : to note the name or number of (someone, such as a soccer player) for a serious infraction of the rules
booking him for a late tackle
intransitive verb
1
: to make a reservation
book through your travel agent
2
chiefly British : to register in a hotel —usually used with in
went to the hotel and booked in
3
slang : leave, go
especially : to depart quickly
We booked out of there.
bookable
ˈbu̇-kə-bəl
adjective chiefly British booker noun
Synonyms
Noun
- tome
- volume
Verb
- bespeak
- reserve
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun The shelves in his office are filled with books. That's one of the best books I've read in a long time. a novelist who has written some wonderful books The library has many dictionaries and other reference books. the books of the Bible a story that is told in the Book of Job Adjective His schooling provided him with extensive book knowledge. She had plenty of book learning but no hands-on experience. Verb They booked two seats at the theater. They booked tickets for a direct flight from London to New York. I booked a table at our favorite restaurant. She booked through her travel agent. We will need to book early. She booked me on a flight from Oslo to Paris. He was booked to sail on Monday. The band was booked to play at the reception. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 15 Sep. 2022 That book was one of many novels Ng revisited while transitioning her domestic story into a dystopia. Time, 15 Sep. 2022 Editor's note: This book is available now for pre-order and will be released on October 11, 2022. Ni'kesia Pannell, Woman's Day, 14 Sep. 2022 Now, almost three years later, that book is ready to be unveiled. Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Sep. 2022 The book is also a font of gossip, befitting a man who also owned Us Weekly for three decades. Chris Vognar, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2022 This book is incredibly special to me for all of those reasons and more. Fox News, 12 Sep. 2022 She was filmed discussing objects with book and manuscripts expert Justin Croft and silver specialist Duncan Campbell, according to Cornwall Live. Emily Burack, Town & Country, 7 Sep. 2022 Harry Potter, one of the most prominent book and film franchises of the past two decades, will be celebrated in downtown Atlanta starting next month with a new immersive experience. Rodney Ho, ajc, 2 Sep. 2022 Greg Leporati, Washington Post, 17 Aug. 2022 Visual merchandising with retailers, inside our B2B, is a key part of our pre-book process. Tom Rau, Outside Online, 7 Dec. 2020 Airport officials recommend travelers to arrive early, pre-book and plan ahead. Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2022 Non-book readers who are curious: this season is based on The Viscount Who Loved Me. Sara Netzley, EW.com, 26 Mar. 2022 Kaepernick Publishing, which was founded in 2019, earlier this year announced a multi-book partnership with children’s media giant Scholastic. Ashley Cullins, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Jan. 2022 The Flyer officially begins service Feb. 1 and guests can pre-book online. Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 5 Jan. 2022 Simon & Schuster, which has a multi-book deal with New York Magazine, currently boasts best sellers including a Rupi Kaur collection and memoirs from Stanley Tucci and Tori Amos. Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 2 Nov. 2021 At the heart of Herbert’s Dune series, a multi-book tale of space empires, sandworms, religious fervor, and political gamesmanship spanning centuries, was a simple observation: Great power comes with terrible burden. David Sims, The Atlantic, 21 Oct. 2021 Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 13 Sep. 2022 Cancel that weekend by the lake and book some time with these gory getaways instead. Clark Collis, EW.com, 7 Sep. 2022 Though reservations book up quickly, Dry Tortugas does offer ten campsites on Garden Key for adventurous souls who want to bed down among the sand and surf. Emily Pennington, Outside Online, 5 Sep. 2022 The story goes that rich 19th-century British travelers would book cabins on the port (left) side of the ship on journeys to India, and on the starboard (right) side on the way back, because these would be the coolest cabins for the hot voyage. Melissa Mohr, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Sep. 2022 Olympus expects to transfer the unit on Jan. 4 and book the gain from the sale in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year ending March 31, the company said in a statement Monday. BostonGlobe.com, 29 Aug. 2022 Both Florida's Walt Disney World and California's Disneyland began requiring park reservations on top of admission tickets during the pandemic, and the most popular parks can book up quickly around holidays, weekends and other school breaks. Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 24 Aug. 2022 Retailers could buy folding chairs for $10, sell them for $20 and book an immediate profit. James R. Hagerty, WSJ, 19 Aug. 2022 Home services such as painting companies are also beginning to offer payment plans online as incentive for customers to book their services. Vu Hoang, Forbes, 18 Aug. 2022 See More
Noun
Premiering on Broadway in 1987 with a book by James Lapine and a score by Stephen Sondheim, Into the Woods and its take on classic fairy-tales has become a beloved classic of the musical theater canon. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 15 Sep. 2022 That book was one of many novels Ng revisited while transitioning her domestic story into a dystopia. Time, 15 Sep. 2022 Editor's note: This book is available now for pre-order and will be released on October 11, 2022. Ni'kesia Pannell, Woman's Day, 14 Sep. 2022 Now, almost three years later, that book is ready to be unveiled. Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Sep. 2022 The book is also a font of gossip, befitting a man who also owned Us Weekly for three decades. Chris Vognar, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2022 This book is incredibly special to me for all of those reasons and more. Fox News, 12 Sep. 2022 She was filmed discussing objects with book and manuscripts expert Justin Croft and silver specialist Duncan Campbell, according to Cornwall Live. Emily Burack, Town & Country, 7 Sep. 2022 Harry Potter, one of the most prominent book and film franchises of the past two decades, will be celebrated in downtown Atlanta starting next month with a new immersive experience. Rodney Ho, ajc, 2 Sep. 2022 Adjective
Hoping to replicate the success of Halo and its accompanying novels, Microsoft signed a multi-book deal with Tor, one of the most prominent science fiction and fantasy imprints, and brought on award-winning author Greg Rucka to helm the project. Greg Leporati, Washington Post, 17 Aug. 2022 Visual merchandising with retailers, inside our B2B, is a key part of our pre-book process. Tom Rau, Outside Online, 7 Dec. 2020 Airport officials recommend travelers to arrive early, pre-book and plan ahead. Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2022 Non-book readers who are curious: this season is based on The Viscount Who Loved Me. Sara Netzley, EW.com, 26 Mar. 2022 Kaepernick Publishing, which was founded in 2019, earlier this year announced a multi-book partnership with children’s media giant Scholastic. Ashley Cullins, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Jan. 2022 The Flyer officially begins service Feb. 1 and guests can pre-book online. Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 5 Jan. 2022 Simon & Schuster, which has a multi-book deal with New York Magazine, currently boasts best sellers including a Rupi Kaur collection and memoirs from Stanley Tucci and Tori Amos. Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 2 Nov. 2021 At the heart of Herbert’s Dune series, a multi-book tale of space empires, sandworms, religious fervor, and political gamesmanship spanning centuries, was a simple observation: Great power comes with terrible burden. David Sims, The Atlantic, 21 Oct. 2021 Verb
Don't delay: Industry experts suggest travelers book their flights as soon as possible. Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 13 Sep. 2022 Cancel that weekend by the lake and book some time with these gory getaways instead. Clark Collis, EW.com, 7 Sep. 2022 Though reservations book up quickly, Dry Tortugas does offer ten campsites on Garden Key for adventurous souls who want to bed down among the sand and surf. Emily Pennington, Outside Online, 5 Sep. 2022 The story goes that rich 19th-century British travelers would book cabins on the port (left) side of the ship on journeys to India, and on the starboard (right) side on the way back, because these would be the coolest cabins for the hot voyage. Melissa Mohr, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Sep. 2022 Olympus expects to transfer the unit on Jan. 4 and book the gain from the sale in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year ending March 31, the company said in a statement Monday. BostonGlobe.com, 29 Aug. 2022 Both Florida's Walt Disney World and California's Disneyland began requiring park reservations on top of admission tickets during the pandemic, and the most popular parks can book up quickly around holidays, weekends and other school breaks. Eve Chen, USA TODAY, 24 Aug. 2022 Retailers could buy folding chairs for $10, sell them for $20 and book an immediate profit. James R. Hagerty, WSJ, 19 Aug. 2022 Home services such as painting companies are also beginning to offer payment plans online as incentive for customers to book their services. Vu Hoang, Forbes, 18 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun, Adjective, and Verb
Middle English, from Old English bōc; akin to Old High German buoh book, Goth boka letter
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Adjective
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1807, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
Phrases Containing book
Kids Definition
book 1 of 2
noun
ˈbu̇k
1
: a set of sheets of paper bound together
2
: a long written work
a book about birds
3
: a large division of a written work
the books of the Bible
4
: a pack of small items bound together
a book of matches
5
: the records of a business's accounts —often used in pl.
a credit on the books
book
2 of 2verb
booked; booking
: to reserve for future use
He booked rooms at the hotel.
Legal Definition
book 1 of 2
noun
1
: a record of a business's financial transactions or financial condition —often used in pl.
the books show a profit
2
: police register
3
: the bets registered by a bookmaker
also : the business or activity of giving odds and taking bets
book
2 of 2transitive verb
: to make (an arrested person) undergo booking
book 1 of 2
noun
1
as in paperback
a set of printed sheets of paper bound together between covers and forming a work of fiction or nonfiction I bought another new book yesterday, and I can't wait to read it Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- paperback
- hardcover
- novel
- tome
- treatise
- monograph
- volume
- anthology
- album
- textbook
- handbook
- hardback
- dictionary
- paper
- guidebook
- text
- encyclopedia
- manual
- softcover
- catalog
- folio
- pocket book
- paperbound
- trade book
- softback
- trade edition
- catalogue
- pocket edition
- novelette
- chapbook
- primer
- quarto
- cyclopedia
- casebook
- omnibus
- picture book
- tract
- almanac
- how-to
- pulp
- cyclopaedia
2
as in Bible
capitalized a book made up of the writings accepted by Christians as coming from God offered to swear on the Book that everything had happened just as he said Synonyms & Similar Words
- Bible
- Scripture
- Good Book
- Holy Writ
- Polyglot
3
as in newspaper
a publication that appears at regular intervals older people in these parts still tend to call a magazine a book Synonyms & Similar Words
- newspaper
- journal
- periodical
- magazine
- paper
- review
- bulletin
- organ
- newsletter
- serial
- gazette
- edition
- yearbook
- zine
- mag
- weekly
- rag
- monthly
- annual
- daily
- quarterly
- diurnal
- sheet
- digest
- pictorial
- bimonthly
- biweekly
- supplement
- tabloid
- fanzine
- semimonthly
- little magazine
- tab
- triweekly
- semiweekly
- extra
- newsmagazine
- slick
- broadside
- newsweekly
4
as in scoop
information not generally available to the public what's the book on the new company president? Synonyms & Similar Words
- scoop
- tip
- information
- rumor
- story
- news
- inside
- skinny
- poop
- dope
- 411
- lowdown
- dish
- word
- gossip
- hint
- pointer
- dirt
- intelligence
- tidings
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- ancient history
- open secret
book
2 of 2verb
1
as in to reserve
to arrange to have something (as a hotel room) held for one's future use we booked a conference room for the meeting next week Synonyms & Similar Words
- reserve
- hire
- contract
- earmark
- retain
- bespeak
- engage
2
as in to move
slang to leave a place often for another I'm running late, so I've got to book Synonyms & Similar Words
- move
- exit
- part
- get
- go
- start
- depart
- escape
- run along
- bail out
- peel off
- walk out
- get off
- fly
- dig out
- pull out
- bug out
- retreat
- clear out
- bail
- evacuate
- push off
- cut out
- clear off
- beat it
- flee
- go off
- bugger off
- take off
- quit
- push on
- take a hike
- set out
- take a powder
- bug off
- hit the road
- take a walk
- strike out
- skip
- withdraw
- sally (forth)
- retire
- begone
- run away
- emigrate
- pull stakes
- get out
- pull up stakes
- vamoose
- pack (up or off)
- step out
- step (along)
- shove (off)
- light out
- pike (out or off)
- buzz (off)
- desert
- go out
- scarper
- scram
- remove
- vacate
- abandon
- scat
- decamp
- abscond
- forsake
- adjourn
- mizzle
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- come
- arrive
- stay
- turn up
- approach
- remain
- dwell
- show up
- lodge
- settle
- close
- abide
- land
- reach
- hit
- near
- tarry