book
noun /bʊk/
/bʊk/
Idioms - [countable] a set of printed pages that are fastened inside a cover so that you can turn them and read them
- His desk was covered with piles of books.
- hardback/paperback books
- a book of short stories
Extra ExamplesTopics Literature and writinga1- Her name was inscribed in the book.
- one of the earliest printed books
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- latest
- new
- recent
- …
- copy
- flick through
- flip through
- look at
- …
- appear
- come out
- be out of print
- …
- title
- review
- reviewer
- …
- in a/the book
- book about
- book on
- …
- [countable] a written work published in printed or electronic form
- to read/write/publish a book
- reference/children's/library books
- book by somebody a new book by J. K. Rowling
- book about something a book about wildlife
- book on something He has written a book on local architecture.
Wordfinder- author
- book
- classic
- critic
- drama
- fiction
- genre
- literature
- poetry
- write
Collocations LiteratureLiteratureBeing a writer- write/publish literature/poetry/fiction/a book/a story/a poem/a novel/a review/an autobiography
- become a writer/novelist/playwright
- find/have a publisher/an agent
- have a new book out
- edit/revise/proofread a book/text/manuscript
- dedicate a book/poem to…
- construct/create/weave/weave something into a complex narrative
- advance/drive the plot
- introduce/present the protagonist/a character
- describe/depict/portray a character (as…)/(somebody as) a hero/villain
- create an exciting/a tense atmosphere
- build/heighten the suspense/tension
- evoke/capture the pathos of the situation
- convey emotion/an idea/an impression/a sense of…
- engage the reader
- seize/capture/grip the (reader’s) imagination
- arouse/elicit emotion/sympathy (in the reader)
- lack imagination/emotion/structure/rhythm
- use/employ language/imagery/humour/(US English) humor/an image/a symbol/a metaphor/a device
- use/adopt/develop a style/technique
- be rich in/be full of symbolism
- evoke images of…/a sense of…/a feeling of…
- create/achieve an effect
- maintain/lighten the tone
- introduce/develop an idea/a theme
- inspire a novel/a poet/somebody’s work/somebody’s imagination
- read an author/somebody’s work/fiction/poetry/a text/a poem/a novel/a chapter/a passage
- review a book/a novel/somebody’s work
- give something/get/have/receive a good/bad review
- be hailed (as)/be recognized as a masterpiece
- quote a(n) phrase/line/stanza/passage/author
- provoke/spark discussion/criticism
- study/interpret/understand a text/passage
- translate somebody’s work/a text/a passage/a novel/a poem
Wordfinder- biography
- blockbuster
- book
- character
- editor
- narrator
- novel
- plot
- publish
- title
Extra ExamplesTopics Educationa1, Shoppinga1- Have you read her latest book?
- Do you want to renew any of your library books?
- His latest book will appear in December.
- How many books can I borrow?
- How many books have you got out?
- How many copies of the book did you order?
- I couldn't put the book down.
- She looked up from her book and smiled at him.
- She's busy writing a book on astrology.
- The book is dedicated to his mother.
- The collector had many books inscribed to him by famous authors.
- There's nothing like curling up with a mug of tea and a good book.
- These issues are discussed in his latest book.
- a book for new parents
- a book of walks in London
- a controversial book about the royal family
- a new book from the publishing company, Bookworm
- a survey to find the nation's favourite children's book
- I'm reading a book by Robert Shea.
- The book has received some terrible reviews.
- a library/hardback book
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- latest
- new
- recent
- …
- copy
- flick through
- flip through
- look at
- …
- appear
- come out
- be out of print
- …
- title
- review
- reviewer
- …
- in a/the book
- book about
- book on
- …
- [countable] (especially in compounds) a set of sheets of paper that are fastened together inside a cover and used for writing in
- an exercise book
- a notebook
- [countable] a set of things that are fastened together like a book
- a book of stamps/tickets/matches
- a chequebook
- the books[plural] the written records of the financial affairs of a business
- to do the books (= to check the accounts)
- You need to go over the books again; there’s a mistake somewhere.
- She does the books for us.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- account
- do
- keep
- audit
- …
- on the books
- [countable] a section of a large written work
- the books of the Bible
- [countable] (British English) a record of bets made on whether something will happen, somebody will win a race, etc.
- They’ve opened a book on who’ll win the Championship.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- account
- do
- keep
- audit
- …
- on the books
printed work
for writing in
of stamps/tickets/matches, etc.
accounts
section of Bible, etc.
for betting
Word OriginOld English bōc (originally also ‘a document or charter’), bōcian ‘to grant by charter’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch boek and German Buch, and probably to beech (on which runes were carved).
Idioms
be in somebody’s good/bad books
- (informal) used to say that somebody is pleased/annoyed with you
- I'm in her good books at the moment because I cleared up the kitchen.
bring somebody to book (for something)
- (especially British English, formal) to punish somebody for doing something wrong and make them explain their behaviour
- We will ensure that people who commit fraud are brought to book through the courts.
by the book
- following rules and instructions in a very strict way
- She always does everything by the book.
close the book on something
- to stop doing something because you no longer believe you will be successful or will find a solution
- The police have closed the book on the case (= they have stopped trying to solve it).
a closed book (to somebody)
- a subject or person that you know nothing about
- Nuclear physics is a closed book to most of us.
cook the books
- (informal) to change facts or figures dishonestly or illegally
- His accountant had been cooking the books for years.
- Someone was cooking the books.
don’t judge a book by its cover
- (saying) used to say that you should not form an opinion about somebody/something from their appearance onlyTopics Opinion and argumentc1
every trick in the book
- every available method, whether it is honest or not
- He'll try every trick in the book to stop you from winning.
have your head/nose in a book
- to be reading
- She always has her nose in a book.
the history books
- the record of great achievements in history
- She has earned her place in the history books.
in my book
- (informal) used when you are giving your opinion
- That's cheating in my book.
(be) on somebody’s books
- (to be) on an organization’s list, for example of people who are available for a particular type of work
- We have very few nurses on our books at the moment.
- Most of the houses on our books are in the north of the city.
- We have fifty people on the books.
an open book
- if you describe somebody or their life as an open book, you mean that you can easily understand them and know everything about them
read somebody like a book
- to understand easily what somebody is thinking or feeling
suit your/somebody’s book
- (British English, informal) to be convenient or useful for you/somebody
- Well, if you’re honest and hard-working, that suits our book.
take a leaf from/out of somebody’s book
- to copy somebody’s behaviour and do things in the same way that they do, because they are successful
throw the book at somebody
- (informal) to punish somebody who has committed an offence as severely as possible
- ‘Get this man down to the station and throw the book at him!’ yelled Curtis.