by the book Definition

book
noun

1. A number of printed pages bound together along one edge and protected by covers.
2. A piece of written work intended for publication, eg a novel, reference work, instruction manual, etc.

Thesaurus: volume, tome, paperback, hardback, manuscript, tract, work, text.
3. A number of sheets of blank paper bound together. Often in compounds.

Example: exercise book
Example: autograph book
4. A record or formal accounts of the business done by a company, society, etc.

Form: the books (usually)
5. A record of bets made with different people.

Example: kept a book on whether it would snow
6. colloq
The current telephone directory.
Form: the book
7. A major division of a long literary work

Example: Book IX of Paradise Lost.
Form: Book (usually)
8. A number of stamps, matches or cheques, etc bound together.
9. An authoritative definitive source of information, instruction or accepted wisdom, etc on a given subject.

Example: tried every trick in the book to get the car started
Form: the book
10. The Bible.

Form: the Book (usually)
11. The words of an opera or musical.

verb booked, booking

tr & intr
1. To reserve (a ticket, seat, etc), or engage (a person's services) in advance

Example: Have you booked, sir?
Thesaurus: reserve, engage, charter, procure, schedule, programme, arrange, organize; Antonym: cancel.
2. Said of a police officer, traffic warden, etc: to record the details of (a person who is being charged with an offence).
3. football.
Said of a referee: to enter (a player's name) in a notebook as a record of an offence or serious violation of the rules.
4. To enter (a person's name, etc) in a book or list.

Idiom: be in someone's good books (be in someone's bad books)

To be in or out of favour with them.

Idiom: be booked up

To have no more places or tickets available.

Idiom: bring someone to book

To punish them or make them account for their behaviour.

Idiom: by the book

Strictly according to the rules.
Example: I played it by the book and didn't take any chances
Thesaurus: properly, correctly, legitimately.

Idiom: in my book

In my opinion.
Example: That amounts to cheating, in my book

Idiom: on the books

Officially listed as a member, customer, etc.

Idiom: suit someone's book

To be what they want or like.

Idiom: take a leaf out of someone's book

To benefit from their example.

Idiom: throw the book at someone

See under throw.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon boc.

Phrasal Verb: book in

To sign one's name on the list of guests at a hotel.To report one's arrival at a hotel or conference reception desk, airport check-in, etc. N Amer equivalent check in.

Phrasal Verb: book someone in

To reserve a place or room for them in a hotel, etc. N Amer equivalent check in, check someone in

Phrasal Verb: book something up

To fix and reserve in advance the tickets and other arrangements for (a holiday, show, meal, etc).