| 释义 |
▪ I. book, n.|bʊk|
Forms: 1 bóc, booc, 2–4 boc, 3–5 bok, 4–6 boke, 4–7 booke, 4– book; (also 4–6 bock, 7 boock; north. 4 buk, 4–8 buke, Sc. 6–8 buick, 6– buik). Pl. books; in 1 bóec, béc.
[A com. Teut. word, differing however in gender and other points in the various langs. With OE. bóc monosyllabic fem. (pl. béc) cf. OFris. and OS. bôk (pl. bôk) fem. and neut. (MDu. boek neut. and often masc., Du. boek masc.), OHG. buoh (pl. buoh) neut., also masc. and fem. (MHG. buoch, mod.G. buch neut.), ON. bók (pl. bœ́kr) fem. (Sw. bok, Da. bog), all in sense of ‘written document, book’. These forms indicate an OTeut. *bôk-s str. fem., the plural of which was in OHG. and elsewhere sometimes made neuter (after the analogy of neuter monosyllabic plurals), and this gender extended to the sing. The original meaning was evidently ‘writing-tablet, leaf, or sheet’: cf. Venantius Fortunatus Carm. vii. 18, 19 ‘barbara fraxineis pingatur runa tabellis’, also OS. thia bôk the writing-tablet, ‘pugillaris’ Luke i. 63 (in Heliand 232, 235), OE. bóc charter: in pl. tablets, written sheets, hence ‘book,’ a sense subseq. extended to the singular. Gothic does not show *bôks, but an apparently derivative form bôka strong fem., in sense of ‘letter’ of the alphabet, pl. bôkôs litteræ, γράµµατα, writing, document, book.
Generally thought to be etymologically connected with the name of the beech-tree, OE. bóc, béce, ON. bók:—(see beech), the suggestion being that inscriptions were first made on beechen tablets, or cut in the bark of beechtrees; but there are great difficulties in reconciling the early forms of the two words, seeing that bôk-s ‘writing-tablet’ is the most primitive of all.]
I.
†1. A writing; a written document; esp. a charter or deed by which land (hence called bócland) was conveyed. Obs.
872–915in Thorpe Diplomat. 168 (Bosw.) Ic him sealde ðæt lond on ece erfe and ða bec. 886–899Ibid. 137 Heo cyðaþ on ðisse bec. 938Ibid. 187 Ðis is seo boc ðe æðelstan cing ᵹebocode. c1000Ags. Gosp. Matt. v. 31 Swa hwylc swa his wif forlæt, he sylle hyre hyra hiwᵹedales boc [Rushw. beec]. 1382Wyclif Isa. l. 1 What is this boc of forsaking of ȝoure moder. 1417E.E. Wills (1882) 27 Excepte ham þat I haue ynemned in þis bok to-for. 1483Cath. Angl. 36 A Boke, carta, cartula, codex, codicillus, liber, libellus, etc. 1553Edw. VI. Will in Strype Eccl. Mem. II. ii. xxii. 431 All such as have paid their monies upon any bargain for lands, to have their books and bargains performed. 1596Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, iii. i. 224 By that time will our Booke, I thinke, be drawne. 1611Bible Jer. xxxii. 12 The witnesses, that subscribed the booke [1885 R.V. deed] of the purchase. [1818Hallam Mid. Ages (1872) II. 294 Might be conveyed by boc or written grant. 1876Digby Real Prop. i. 12 The grants were effected by the king..by means usually of a ‘book’ or charter.]
†2. A (written) narrative or account, record, list, register. Obs. (In the Bible only a following of Greek and Latin precedents, in their rendering by βίβλος, liber, the Heb. sēpher, k⊇thāb ‘writing, written account’.)
a1000ælfric Gen. v. 1 Ðis is seo boc Adames mæᵹrace. 1535Coverdale Matt. i. 1 The boke of the generacion of Jesus Christ. 1582–8Hist. James VI (1804) 123 The clerks and writters to the Lords of Sessioun compellit to rander the buicks of parliament unto thame. 1611Bible Gen. v. 1 This is the booke of the generations of Adam. 1681Burnet Hist. Ref. II. 14 He intended to create some new peers; and ordered him to write a book of such as he thought meetest.
3. gen. A written or printed treatise or series of treatises, occupying several sheets of paper or other substance fastened together so as to compose a material whole.
In this wide sense, referring to all ages and countries, a book comprehends a treatise written on any material (skin, parchment, papyrus, paper, cotton, silk, palm leaves, bark, tablets of wood, ivory, slate, metal, etc.), put together in any portable form, e.g. that of a long roll, or of separate leaves, hinged, strung, stitched, or pasted together.
a. spec. (In reference to modern things.) Such a treatise occupying numerous sheets or leaves fastened together at one edge called the back, so as to be opened at any particular place, the whole being protected by binding or covers of some kind. But, since either the form of the book or its subject may be mainly or exclusively the object of attention, this passes on either side into
b. The material article so made up, without regard to the nature of its contents, even though its pages are occupied otherwise than with writing or printing, or are entirely blank (cf. 10): e.g. ‘a handsome book’, i.e. a trophy of the binder's art, ‘a tiny book,’ one that may be put in the waistcoat pocket.
c. A literary composition such as would occupy one or more volumes, without regard to the material form or forms in which it actually exists; ‘an intellectual composition, in prose or verse, at least of sufficient extent to make one volume’ (Littré s.v. livre). In this sense Carlyle described himself as ‘a writer of books’.
It is not now usual to call a (modern) literary composition in manuscript a ‘book’, unless we think of its printing as a thing to follow in due course. In sense b every volume is a ‘book’; whilst in sense c one ‘book’ may occupy several volumes; and on the other hand one large volume may contain several ‘books,’ i.e. literary works originally published as distinct books. No absolute definition of a ‘book’ in this sense can be given: in general, a short literary composition (especially if ephemeral in character, and therefore also in form) receives some other name, as tract, pamphlet, sketch, essay, etc.
c897K. ælfred Gregory's Past. inscr. on Hatton MS., Ðeos boc sceal to Wioᵹora ceastre. Ibid. (Sweet) 8 Ond ic bibiode..þæt nan mon ðone æstel from þære bec ne doe, ne þa boc from þæm mynstre. c1000Ags. Gosp. John xxi. 25 Ealle þa bec. c1175Lamb. Hom. 101 Swa swa us seggeð bec. c1205Lay. 7263 For mine bæc [c 1275 bokes] hit me suggeð. a1300Cursor M. 1470 Enoch..was þe first þat letters fand And wrot sum bokes wit his hand. a1340Hampole Pr. Consc. 348 Þis buk..I seuen partis divised es. 1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xi. 135 Baw for bokes! c1425Wyntoun Cron. v. xii. 278 Sum man may fall þis Buk to rede. 1513More Edw. V (1641) Ded., There comming..into my hand a booke long since printed. 1519W. Horman Vulg. 84 A volume is lesse than a boke, and a boke lesse than a coucher [L. codice]. 1534Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546) B iv b, I wyll intitle this boke the Golden boke. 1558Act 1 Eliz. ii, Set forth in one book entituled, The Booke of Common-prayer. 1600Register Stationers' Co. 4 Aug., As you Like yt, a booke. 1611Bible Jer. xxxvi. 2 Take thee a roule of a booke, and write therein. 1637Decree Star Chamb. in Milton's Areop. (Arb.) 9 Seditious, scismaticall, or offensive Bookes or Pamphlets. a1649Drummond of Hawthornden Biblioth. Edinb. Lect. Wks. (1711) 222 Books have that strange quality, that, being of the frailest and tenderest matter, they out-last brass, iron, and marble. 1710Act 8 Anne in Lond. Gaz. No. 4686/3 Nine Copies of each Book..that from..the 10th of April, 1710, shall be printed..or re-printed with Additions, shall by the Printers thereof be delivered to the Warehouse-keeper of the..Company of Stationers. 1743Tindal tr. Rapin's Hist. Eng. II. xvii. 118 Books, as well printed as in Manuscript. 1865Ruskin Sesame 19 A book is essentially not a talked thing, but a written thing; and written, not with the view of mere communication, but of permanence. 1876Green Short Hist. viii. §1 (1882) 447 England became the people of a book, and that book was the Bible. 1884J. A. H. Murray in 13th Addr. Philol. Soc. 22. I do not know what a book is..Was Shakspere the author of one book or of forty-four books? 1886Boston Literary World 1 May 150/1 The first matter was to settle the seemingly easy but really difficult question, What is a book? This they solved by defining it as ‘a literary work substantial in amount and homogeneous in character’.
fig.1592Shakes. Rom. & Jul. i. iii. 87 This precious Booke of Loue, this vnbound Louer. 1595― John ii. 485 This booke of beautie. 1847Tennyson Princ. v. 136 Not ever would she love; but brooding turn The book of scorn.
d. transf. Of things composed of ‘leaves’ or ‘plates’.
1840R. H. Dana Bef. Mast (1841) xxix. 85/1 A large ‘book’ was made of some twenty-five to fifty hides, doubled at the backs, and put into one another, like the leaves of a book. 1859C. Tomlinson Illustr. Useful Arts 21 (caption) Book of Silk from China. 1885J. S. Kingsley in Q. Jrnl. Microsc. Sci. Oct. 538 The primary stigma formed by the insinking of the respiratory book is not the functional one of the adult. 1892Photogr. Ann. II. 327 To put the book in camera, the camera is tilted front up. Ibid. 328 The book of plate-holders. 1910Sessions' Paper 17 Nov. 21, I..pulled out my cigarette book to make a cigarette. 1937Popular Sci. Nov. 68/2 (caption) Match Books Get Foolproof Cover. 1962J. Braine Life at Top v. 88 One of the books of matches I'd taken away from the Savoy.
e. An angler's pocket-book for fishing-tackle.
1824Sporting Mag. XV. n.s. 147/1 The fisherman, who has got a book full of good ready-made flies. 1847Stoddart Angler's Comp. 61 Angler's trouting book.
f. A magazine. Now colloq. and vulg.
1800H. More Let. 11 Sept. (1925) 177 The Anti-Jacobin Magazine, which is spreading more mischief over the land than almost any other book. 1873Young Englishwoman Aug. 416/2 She has taken in The Young Englishwoman for four years, and thinks it is the best of books for young ladies. 1937A. Thirkell Summer Half ix. 254 Rose was reduced to reading a book, by which..she meant an illustrated weekly. 1942A. P. Jephcott Girls Growing Up v. 98 With..working-class girls, you can create a common interest..by offering..some ‘girls' books’. These ‘books’ are what one would ordinarily call papers or magazines. 1959I. & P. Opie Lore & Lang. Schoolchildren ix. 161 A good ‘book’ (i.e. a magazine) is said to be ‘smashin'’.
4. fig.
a. That in which we may read, and find instruction or lessons.
c1449Pecock Repr. i. v. 25 The book of mannis soule. 1532More Confut. Tindale Wks. 408/2 To call the ymages of holye sayntes..and the figure of Chrystes crosse, the boke of his bitter passion. 1600Shakes. A.Y.L. ii. i. 16 And this our life..Findes tongues in trees, bookes in the running brookes, Sermons in stones. 1605Bacon Adv. Learn. i. vi. 16 Laying before us two Books or Volumes to study if we will be secured from error; first the scriptures, revealing the will of God, and then the creatures expressing his power. 1667Milton P.L. iii. 47 For the Book of knowledg fair Presented with a Universal blanc. 1815Scott Guy M. xix. 1830J. G. Strutt Sylva Brit. 2 That great poet to whom the book of Nature and of the human heart seemed alike laid open. 1876Hamerton Intell. Life x. 371 The infinite book of the world, and life.
b. An example taken as = book of precepts.
c1380Wyclif Wks. (1880) 61 Þe lif of prelatis is bok & ensaumple of sugetis. Ibid. 92 Þei techen to þe comunes bi here owen wickid lif þat is a bok to here sugetis.
c. (with allusive reference to various real or reputed books, records, etc., and in uses suggested by these.)
1593Shakes. Rich. II, iv. i. 236 Mark'd with a Blot, damn'd in the Booke of Heauen. ― 2 Hen. VI, i. i. 100 Blotting your names from Bookes of Memory. 1597― 2 Hen. IV, iii. i. 45 Oh Heauen, that one might read the Book of Fate. 1611― Wint. T. iv. iii. 131 My name put in the booke of Vertue. 1732Pope Ess. Man i. 77 Heav'n from all creatures hides the book of fate.
5. Elliptically or contextually:
a. The Bible, sometimes as the ‘divine book’ or ‘book of books’; frequently with reference to its use in the administration of oaths.
[c1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 11 We radeð on boc þet elch man haueð to fere on engel of heuene. c1250Passion Our Lord 131 in OE. Misc. 41 Hit is write in þe bok.] 1297R. Glouc. 472 Suerie vpe the bok. a1300Cursor M. 2042 A mantil..he toke, And ȝede bacward, als sais þe bock. 1389in Eng. Gilds (1870) 3 Eche of hem had sworen on þe bok to perfourme þe pointz. c1430Lydg. Bochas ii. vii. (1554) 49 a, A sonne he had..Called Abia, the boke doth specifie. c1450Why I can't be nun 20 in E.E.P. (1862) 138 On a boke I dare well swere In gode feythe and on womanhode. 1598Shakes. Merry W. i. iv. 156 Ile be sworne on a booke shee loues you. 1678Trials of Ireland, &c. 3 Clerk of Crown..‘Sir Philip Matthews to the Book’. 1821Clare Vill. Minstr. I. 175 As the day closes on its peace and rest, The godly man sits down and takes ‘the book.’ 1860W. M. Thomson (title) The Land and the Book. 1864Tennyson En. Ard. 843 ‘Swear’, added Enoch sternly, ‘on the book’, And on the book, half-frighted, Miriam swore.
†b. The Book of Common Prayer; also the Mass-book, in the phrase by bell, book, and candle see bell n.1 8. Obs.
c1340Cursor M. 25038 (Fairf.) Pilate..be-takenis feinde of helle, cursed he is wiþ boke and belle. 1556Chron. Gr. Friars (1852) 27 Sir Edmonde de la Poole was pronuncyd acursed opynly wyth boke, belle, and candell, at Powlles crose at the sermonde before none [1502]. 1588Marprel. Epist. (Arb.) 41 Whosoeuer will or haue subscribed vnto the booke and Articles.
c. Law. pl. The Year Books; any books reputed of authority in the law of England.
1628Coke On Litt. 1 b, So we commonly say it is holden in our bookes. 1826Kent Comm. I. 476 It will be a bad example to the barristers and students at law, and they will not give any credit to the books or have any faith in them. 1886Sir N. Lindley Law Rep. 32 Chanc. Div. 29 There are other cases in the books illustrating the same principle.
d. A telephone directory.
1925A. Christie Secret of Chimneys iv. 30 You might ring up a number for me now. Look it up in the book. 1960K. Amis Take a Girl vi. 87 Let's just hypothesise that I give you a ring, shall we? You're in the book, eh?
†6. ‘Benefit of clergy’: from the fact that a person claiming this had to read from a book handed to him, to show his scholarship. Obs.
1601R. Yarington Two Lament. Traj. iv. ix. in Bullen O. Pl. IV, Williams and Rachell likewise are convict For their concealment; Williams craves his booke And so receives a brond of infamie. a1626Bacon Max. & Uses Com. Law (1635) 17 Some prisoners have their bookes, and be burned in the hand and so delivered..This having their bookes is called their clergy. 1643Herle Answ. Ferne 5 Flat blasphemy without booke. 1710Lond. Gaz. No. 4739/1 An Act for taking away the Benefit of Clergy in certain Cases, and for taking away the Book in all Cases.
†7. Book-learning, scholarship, study, lessons, reading. In later use only pl. and passing into 3 c.
1297R. Glouc. 420 Vor þat he ȝongost was, to boc hys fader hym drou, Þat he was..god clerc ynou. 1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xii. 187 Wel may þe barne blisse þat hym to boke sette. 1598Shakes. Merry W. iv. i. 15 My sonne profits nothing in the world at his Booke. 1680P. Henry Diaries & Lett. (1882) 282 Children at Book again, under Mr. Sam. Lewis. 1767Fordyce Serm. Yng. Wom. II. viii. 7 An early love of books prevented this languor. 1864Tennyson Aylmer's F. 460 His rushings to and fro, After his books, to flush his blood with air.
8. A main subdivision of a large treatise; being such as either (a) originally constituted a complete treatise of itself, or (b) occupied a separate roll or volume, when the whole treatise was for convenience written on several.
a. Each of the separate documents collected in the Sacred Scriptures, as the Book of Genesis, Book of Psalms.
c1200Ormin 5810 Þatt writenn..Goddspell o fowwre bokess. c1250Gen. & Ex. 2522 Ðe boc ðe is hoten genesis. 1533Frith Answ. More (1829) 156 Let it [the Church] read these two books..(Sapience & Ecclesiasticus) unto the edifying of the people. 1599Shakes. Hen. V, i. ii. 98 In the Booke of Numbers is it writ. 1782Priestley Corrupt. Chr. I. Pref. 23, I have almost always quoted the Book, & Chapter. 1863Stanley Jew. Ch. Introd. 33 The Books of Moses, Joshua, and Samuel.
b. A main division of the subject-matter of a prose treatise, or of a poem; now usually in prose only when further subdivided into chapters, or portions otherwise distinguished; but formerly used freely, where chapter would now be used. So Gr. βιβλίον little book, L. liber; as in the nine books of Herodotus, the twelve books of Vergil's æneid.
a1225Ancr. R. Pref. 23 This an Boc is todealet in eahte lesse Boke. 1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 1 This treatyse..is distincte and diuyded in to thre bokes, in the honour of the Trinite. 1555Eden Decades W. Ind. (Arb.) 278 To wryte particularly..of these regions it wolde requyre rather a hole volume then a book. 1593Hooker Eccl. Pol. Pref. viii. §2 The last book of this treatise. 1635J. Babington Geometry 36 By the thirteenth of the sixth booke of Euclide. 1713Steele Englishm. No. 29. 186 The Poem consists of Three Books. 1818Byron Juan i. cc, My poem..is meant to be Divided in twelve books. 1866Reader 2 June 545 We find the twenty books (or chapters as we should now call them) relate to the following subjects.
9. a. The copy of words to which music is set; the libretto of an opera, oratorio, etc.
1768Sterne Sent. Journ. I. 180 A small pamphlet, it might be the book of the opera. 1882Daily News 18 July 2/2 Tuneful gems of a work which deserved a stronger book.
b. The script of a play.
1598Florio Worlde of Wordes 51/3 Buriasso,..a prompter, or one that keepes the book for plaiers. 1879D. K. T. Ranous Diary 5 Sept. in Diary of Daly Déb. (1910) 6 Old Mr. Moore held the book of the play, and the actors moved slowly about the stage with manuscript copies of their rôles in their hands. 1895G. B. Shaw in Sat. Rev. 2 Feb. 151/2 The play was..pulled to pieces in order that some bad scenery..might destroy all the illusion which the simple stage directions in the book create. 1923T. E. Lawrence Lett. (1938) 442 Your people had no technique, no arts and graces, to put between their ‘book’ and us. 1933P. Godfrey Back-Stage vi. 82 By the time that the principals are rehearsing regularly again the company are working without their books.
c. The repertoire or sheet music of an orchestra or musician.
1939New Republic 17 May 47 If the road man wanted to pack Ziggy's book half an hour before the show broke he would say yeah, yeah, yeah. 1958New Statesman 23 Aug. 221/1 There he could learn..how to handle a large ‘book’ (repertoire) and difficult arrangements.
10. A number of sheets of blank writing-paper bound together to form a volume in which to keep records of commercial transactions, minutes of meetings, etc. Also a volume containing such records. a merchant's books: his account-books. Hence with numerous qualifications: as bill-, cash-, day-, exercise-, minute-, note-book, etc.; see bill, cash, day, etc.
1498–9Old City Acc. Bk. (Archæol. Jrnl. XLIII.) Itm pd to Ric Magson for entryng of the Juells and goods belongyng to the Crafte into this Boke viijd. 1557Order of Hospitalls F iv b, You shall kepe.. the Booke of Children, Which booke shall contayne th' admission of any childe into this Howse. 1580Baret Alv. B 923 A reckening booke, codex accepti & expensi. 1605Shakes. Lear iii. iv. 101 Keepe..thy pen from Lenders Bookes. a1612Sir T. Bodley in D'Israeli Cur. Lit. (1866) 254 Let all these riches be treasured up..in good writings and books of account. 1639Cade Serm. for these Times 60 He keeps his books evenest..that every night books all his receits and expenses. 1690W. Walker Idiomat. Anglo-Lat. 65 He was hughly in your books. 1753Scots Mag. Apr. 165/1 To cause their books to be balanced. 1802M. Edgeworth Moral T. (1816) I. xix. 154 If you received the note from us, it must be entered in our books. 1881Morley Cobden. I. 117 The books show that the nett profits of the firm had exceeded {pstlg}23,000 for the year.
b. fig. (= note-book.)
1382Wyclif Ps. cxxxviii [ix]. 16 In thi boc alle shul be writen. 1611Ibid. In thy booke all my members were written..when as yet there was none of them. 1786Burns Invent. 71 Sae dinna put me in your buke.
c. W. Afr. (See quots.)
1863Fraser's Mag. LXVII. 146/1 It was resolved..to renew his ‘book’. 1897M. Kingsley W. Africa x. 203 In order to..simplify this goods traffic, a written piece of paper is employed—practically a cheque, which is called a ‘bou’ or ‘book’ and these ‘bous’ are cashed—i.e. gooded, at the store. Ibid. xii. 286, I would give the creditor a book on Hatton and Cookson for the coat.
d. The total of charges that can be made against an accused person. Phr. to throw the book at (a person): to accuse of all the possible crimes; to award the maximum penalty. So to get or do the book (U.S. slang), to suffer the maximum penalty.
[1926G. H. Maines Wise-Crack Dict. 5/2 Book, crook's term for a stretch of life in the penitentiary.] 1928R. J. Tasker Grimhaven (1929) i. 11 I'm doing one life jolt, and two one-to-fiftys..—yes sir, doing the book. 1932Flynn's 6 Feb. 125/1 The prosecuting attorney..determined to try to get the trial judge to ‘throw the book’ at him, (which means give him the limit). 1961J. Heller Catch-22 (1962) viii. 74 He was formally charged with ‘breaking ranks while in formation, felonious assault, indiscriminate behaviour, mopery, high treason, provoking, being a smart guy, listening to classical music, and so on’. In short, they threw the book at him. 1962‘B. Graeme’ Undetective iv. 45 They'll dig out some old act that hasn't been repealed..and then they'll throw the book at him.
11. Betting.
a. A betting-book; a record of a number of bets made with different people, generally kept in a memorandum book.
1812Sporting Mag. XL. 70/1 This is the exact statement of my bets, as my book left with Mr. Smith, Clerk of the Subscription-Betting-Room, at Tattersall's, for the inspection of the public, will prove. 1836Disraeli Henrietta Temple III. xv. 196 Go and take all the odds you can get upon Goshawk. Come, now, tomorrow you will tell me you have a very pretty book. 1856Lever Martins of Cro' M. 490 You haven't skill enough to make what is called a ‘good book’, and you'll always be a sufferer. 1843― J. Hinton xviii. 125, I have gone on adding wager to wager, until at last I find myself with a book of some eight hundred pounds.
b. = book-maker 3 (cf. bookie2). Austral. and N.Z. colloq.
1900J. Scott Tales Colonial Turf 134 If the ‘books’ did not see the horse was doing good work, they would not bite. 1915C. J. Dennis Songs Sentim. Bloke (1916) 118 Book, a bookie.
12. Whist. The first six tricks taken by either party.
13. A packet of gold-leaf, containing 25 leaves, which are put up between leaves of soft paper.
II. Phrases.
14. Book of the Dead [tr. G. totenbuch], in Egyptology (see quot. 1906); book of the (or a) film: the reproduction in book form of the script or story of a cinema film; also, the book upon which a film is based; Book of God: God's book, the Bible; book of lading (see quot.); book of life († livers, the living): in biblical language the record of the names of those who shall inherit eternal life (cf. Phil. iv. 3: Rev. xx. 12); book of the month: a book chosen as the most outstanding during a particular month; also as attrib. phr.; book of rates (see quot.); book of reference: a book referred to for information, rather than read continuously; book of (the) words: (a) libretto of an opera, etc. (cf. 9); (b) colloq., any written or printed record or set of rules; also in extended uses.
971Blickl. Hom. 21 Hwæt awriten is on Godes bocum. a1300E.E. Psalter lxviii[ix]. 28 Of boke of livand be þai done awai. a1340Hampole Psalter cxlvi. 4 All þaire namys ere writen in þe boke of life. 1382Wyclif Ps. lxviii[ix]. 28 Fro the boc of lyueres. 1548Latimer Ploughers (1868) 17 All thinges that are written in Goddes boke. 1611Bible Rev. iii. 5, I will not blot out his name out of the booke of life. 1651Proc. Parliament No. 119. 1850 According to the price of corn, and Book of Rates. 1809R. Langford Introd. Trade 130 Book of lading, book kept by the master of a vessel, containing particulars of the cargo. Ibid. Book of rates, books specifying the customary duties on all goods payable at the Custom-House. 1837Lockhart Scott (1839) VII. 407 Shelves filled with books of reference. 1853L. & J. B. Horner tr. Lepsius's Introd. Chronol. Egyptians 392, I can as little agree with the opinion that the great Book of the Dead of the Egyptians was one of the ten books of the Stolistes. 1885G. B. Shaw How to become Musical Critic (1960) 108 A gentleman who carries a bundle of white pamphlets, and cries incessantly ‘Book of the words! Program! Book of the words!’ 1906J. H. Breasted Hist. Egypt xiii. 249 The magical formulæ by which the dead are to triumph in the hereafter become more and more numerous, so that it is no longer possible to record them on the inside of the coffin, but they must be written on papyrus and the roll placed in the tomb. As the selection of the most important of these texts came to be more and more uniform, the ‘Book of the Dead’ began to take form. 1929J. B. Priestley Good Companions ii. ii. 288 Don't say these things. Think 'em but don't put 'em in the book of words. 1929H. G. Wells King who was King (sub-title) The Book of a Film. 1930E. George Down Our Street 1, There was nothink ag'inst me, but I was known to frequent bad comp'ny. That's 'ow they put it in the book of words. a1932in Q. D. Leavis Fiction & Reading Public i. i. 16 The filmgoer wishes also to read the book of the film, and the reader to see the picture. 1933F. R. Leavis & Thompson Culture & Environment 42 The Committee select their ‘books of the month’. 1940Graves & Hodge Long Weekend iv. 52 The mezzo-brow ‘Book of the Month’ choice of the dailies. 1946Wodehouse Money in Bank iii. 28 There's nothing in the book of the words to prevent Mrs. Cork having the bozo..stowed away in the cooler, if he's a thief. 1947Horizon XVI. Oct. 4 Book-of-the-month clubs. 1955Times Lit. Suppl. 23 Sept. 560/3 Those who would give us the great classics of Greece and Rome in the ‘rude language’ shorn of all ‘superflue’ of some rewritten book-of-the-film.
15. by (the) book: formally, in set phrase; also, according to the rules; in a person's (good) books: in favour with him, in his good opinion; in a person's bad books, out of a person's books: in disfavour with him (see also black book 4 b); in (one's) book: in the opinion of, according to the judgement of (a person); † out of one's book: out of one's reckoning, mistaken; in the book(s), recorded, in existence (colloq.); without († one's) book: without authority; also lit. without the aid of a book, from memory, by rote; like a book: see like adv.
1509Parl. Deuylles xlvii, He is out of our bokes, and we out of his. 1549Latimer Serm. bef. Edw. VI (Arb.) 68 If you folowe theym, you are oute of youre boke. a1569A. Kingsmill Man's Est. xii. (1580) 88 Sainct Paule..speaketh not without booke, but of experience. 1592Shakes. Rom. & Jul. i. v. 112 You kisse by th' booke. 1601― Twel. N. i. iii. 28 He..speaks three or four languages word for word without booke. 1615W. Hull Mirr. Maiestie 24 But, in so saying, he spake without his booke. a1624Bp. M. Smyth Serm. (1632) 4 Why he should be so odious to him, and so farre out of his bookes. a1659Cleveland Vit. Uxoris xii, She..To scold by Book will take upon her, Rhetorically chide him. 1692Locke Toleration ii. Wks. 1727 II. 272 To shew you that I do not speak wholly without Book. a1707Bp. Patrick Autobiogr. (1839) 87 The very prayers of the Liturgy, which I said without book. 1839Dickens Nich. Nick. xxxi. 304 If you want to keep in the good books in that quarter, you had better not call her the old lady. 1841Poe Murders in Rue Morgue in Tales (1845) 118 To have a retentive memory, and to proceed by ‘the book’, are points commonly regarded as the sum total of good playing. 1861W. Perry Hist. Ch. Eng. I. xii. 403 The Arminians, who at that time were in his bad books. 1870Lowell Study W. 257 To speak loosely and without book. 1958J. Kerouac On Road vi. 148 That night Marylou took everything [i.e. every drink] in the books. 1959Listener 31 Dec. 1172/3 Every human evil in the book was thrown at us—cancer, paralysis, famine, gas-chambers. 1960J. Wain Nuncle 49 They'll soak me for defamation of character and everything else in the book. 1964W. Markfield To Early Grave (1965) vii. 130 In my book, you're still putz. 1966S. Jackman Davidson Affair ii. 13 In his book the function of television was to edify, not to entertain. 1968A. Diment Gt. Spy Race i. iii. 32 They keep rigidly to the book down here.
16. to be upon the books (of an institution, etc.): to have one's name entered in the official list of members, patients, etc.; hence to take one's name off the books. † to drive to book: to cause (a person) to give evidence on oath. to bring to book: to bring to account, cause to show authority (for statements, etc.); to examine the evidence for (a statement, etc.), investigate. to close the books (of a business concern): to make no further entries (for a time). to shut the books: to suspend business operations. to speak like a book: i.e. accurately, with full or precise information. to suit (a person's) book (orig. a bookmaker's phrase: see sense 11): to fall in with his plans or answer his requirements; to be agreeable to. to take a leaf out of (a person's) book: to take pattern from him, follow his example.
c1460Launfal 788 To say the soth, wythout les, Twelve knyghtes wer dryve to boke. 1788H. Watson in Med. Commun. II. 258 She..continued on the books as an out-patient. 1804Sporting Mag. XXIII. 265/2 'Tis not my business to examine your accounts, Sir—but should I bring you to book..there is something in that sly countenance that tells me you have sometimes staked your credit at too great a venture. 1809[see leaf n.1 7 b]. 1851R. I. Murchison Let. 14 Apr. in Lady Prestwich Life Sir J. Prestwich (1899) 83 Would it suit your book to make a run of a day or two to the other side of the Weald? 1852F. E. Smedley Lewis Arundel vi, By which time he expects to be so hard up that he must marry somebody, and as there will be plenty of the needful she will suit his book as well as any other. 1858Times in Merc. Mar. Mag. V. 46 The oldest merchants are ‘shutting their books’, as they express it. 1861Hughes Tom Brown Oxf. I. ii. 32 It is a great pity that some of our instructors in more important matters..will not take a leaf out of the same book. 1865Dickens Mut. Fr. II. iii. xv. 131 I'll bring this young man to book. 1868Holme Lee B. Godfrey xxxiv. 118 The young scapegrace took his name off the college books. 1868L. M. Alcott Lit. Women (1872) ii. vii. 292 I'll take a leaf out of her book. 1870M. Bridgman R. Lynne II. v. 104 We'll bring Sherborne to book. 1879Cassell's Techn. Educ. IV. 215/1 By means of these figures we bring the matter, as it were, to book, and eliminate tangible results. 1955Times 30 Aug. 6/1 Plainly the strikes suit the Communists' book.
III. attrib. and Comb.
17. simple attrib. Of or pertaining to books; entered in books; according to books; bookish. (Often written with hyphen as in 18, 19, but properly all cases where there are two distinct accents belong here.)
1865Boston (U.S.) Commonw. 11 Mar., These lectures will..be published in book form.
18. General combinations:
a. attributive, as book-astronomer, book-auction, book-auctioneer, book-birth, book-box, book-cover, book-desk, book-education, book-fair, book-jacket, book-knowledge, book-label, book-language, book-list, book-load, book-mania, book-market, book-package, book-prayer, book-prop, book-prophecy, book-quarrel, book-rack, book-rest, book-room, book-sale, book-shelf, book-shop, book-speech, book-stall, book-stock, book-teaching, book-title, book-trade, book-unit, book-war, book-word, book-wrapper, etc.
1837Whewell Hist. Induct. Sc. (1857) I. 115 Euclid was merely a *book-astronomer, who had never observed the heavens.
1790Pennsylv. Packet 31 Dec. 3/4 *Book-auction will continue during the season. 1809Knox & Jebb Corr. I. 532, I was at a book auction of a deceased priest. 1903(title) Book-Auction Records.
1781Salem Gaz. 19 June, The *Book-Auctionier intends also to exhibit a Collection of Books by Auction. 1880J. L. Warren Book-plates Pref. 3 The large book-auctioneers.
1597Gerard's Herbal To Rdr., This *bookebirth thus brought foorth by Gerard.
1885C. M. Yonge Two Sides of Shield I. i. 7 Dolores, who had in her mother's time been allowed a pretty free range of ‘*book-box’. 1900― Modern Broods iv. 35 Agatha was struggling with the straps of a book box. 1961T. Landau Encycl. Librarianship (ed. 2) 45/1 Book boxes, boxes, usually of standard sizes, in which books are transported between libraries, often made in plywood for lightness.
1845Poe Purloined Let. in Tales 206 We also measured the thickness of every *book-cover. 1864A. Jameson, etc. Hist. Our Lord, &c. I. 22 The sculptured tablets applied as book-covers to the Sacred Volumes.
1679Plot Staffordsh. (1686) 383 The most difficult piece of wood work..was a *Book-desk.
1883Harper's Mag. Nov. 903/2 The *book-education they had while boys.
1863W. Waterston Cycl. Commerce s.v. Book, Two great *book-fairs..held annually at Easter and Michaelmas.
1928Publishers' Weekly 9 June 2359 Several specimens of modern trade *book jackets.
1665Needham Med. Medicinæ vii. 253 A *Book-knowledge of Hippocrates, Galen, and the rest that are counted Classick. 1833Mill in Tait's Edin. Mag. III. 348 Great natural powers..have supplied the place of a more extensive book-knowledge. 1844Sir F. Palgrave Truths & Fictions Mid. Ages (ed. 2) 118 An ounce of mother wit, improved by observation, is worth a stone of book-knowledge.
1880J. L. Warren Book-plates i. 8 Another view of a *book-label may now be taken..a precaution against..loss or theft.
c1645Howell Lett. (1650) I. 394 The same fortune that the Greek and Latin tongues had, to become only school and *book-languages.
1937Discovery June 192/2 (heading) A Scientific and Technical *Book List.
1907Daily Chron. 19 Dec. 3/5 The heroine, who is the best of the *book-load.
1824Dibdin Libr. Comp. 39 The turnings and windings of the *Book-mania.
1836J. S. Mill Ess. Politics & Culture (1962) 72 The bulk of the purchasers in the *book-market. 1862Burton Bk.-hunter i. 55 Auctioneers were surprised at the gradual change coming over the book-market.
1647J. Saltmarsh Sparkl. Glory (1847) 66 Those forms, as of Common-Prayer, *Book-prayers, outward rules of worship.
1862Lytton Str. Story I. 214 The sofa..with *book-prop and candlestick screwed to its back.
a1679T. Goodwin Wks. (1861) III. 213 The *book-prophesy..hath this prologue or preface unto it.
1620Sanderson Serm. (1681) I. 44 Multiplying unnecessary *book-quarrels.
1885Harper's Mag. Mar. 543/1, I had made up my mind to nothing but a *book-rack.
1866Direct. Angl. (ed. 3) 3 The Service Book placed on the *bookrest.
1788Wesley Wks. (1872) IV. 439, I appointed a Committee for..superintending the business of the *Book-room. 1871M. Collins Mrq. & Merch. III. viii. 212 Away from his own beloved bookroom and laboratory.
1797W. B. Stevens Jrnl. 11 Apr. (1965) v. 421 To Ashby for a *book sale. 1952R. Campbell Lorca 7 Sincerity is so often subordinated to book-sales.
1818Byron To Mr. Murray, Along thy sprucest *bookshelves shine The works thou deemest most divine. 1840Carlyle Heroes vi. 312 We will leave the Polemic stuff of a dead century to lie quiet on its book-shelves.
1862Burton Bk.-hunter i. 54 Works of ordinary literature to be found in every *book-shop.
a1652J. Smith Sel. Disc. viii. 378 Some who may arrive at that *book-skill and learning in divine mysteries.
1871Earle Philol. Eng. Tong. §23 The Angles first produced a cultivated *book-speech.
1800Ann. Reg. 319/2, I one day happened at a *book-stall to see a small dictionary. 1913‘A. R. Hope’ Half & Half Tragedy 70, I had something to get at the railway bookstall.
1957BBC Handbook 102 At the Monitoring Service Centre the *bookstock's accent is on politics and biography.
1874J. Heath Croquet Player 11 *Book-teaching..cannot equal in efficiency practical lessons given by a good player on the lawn itself.
1864Burton Scot Abr. I. iv. 230 Accurate transcripts of *book-titles.
1833in N. & Q. (1942) CLXXXII. 143/2 Times are now so altered in the *book trade, that we can no longer venture on such a work single handed. 1863W. Waterston Cycl. Commerce s.v. Book, The modern book-trade dates from the discovery of the art of printing.
1933Discovery Aug. 254/2 Along one wall [are] two plywood *book units.
1670Walton Life Hooker 33 Mr. Hooker became at last, but most unwillingly, to be engaged in a *book-war.
1851Kingsley Yeast xi. 198 Those fine *book-words and long sentences.
1932Book-Collector's Q. Apr.–June 10 The *book-wrapper is relatively and absolutely an upstart, and a good number of people have not yet decided whether they wish to encourage it or not.
b. objective or obj. genitive, as book-borrower, book-breeder, book-buyer, book-buying, book-collecting, book-collector, book-cutter, book-dealer, book-devouring, book-fancier, book-fancying, book-folding, book-hawker, book-hawking, book-hunter, book-hunting, book-lover, book-manufacture, book-merchant, book-mindedness, book-monger, book-notice [notice n. 8 a], book-ownership, book-preservation, book-printer, book-printing, book-protecting, book-purger (= expurgator), book-reading, book-review, book-reviewer, book-reviewing, book rights, book-vender, book-worship, book-writer, book writing, etc.
1880J. L. Warren Book-plates ix. 96 In the case of the *book-borrowers there is no such Nemesis.
1605Camden Rem. (1637) 288 Sir Thomas Moore..and other *Book-breeders.
1693Locke Let. 2 Jan. in B. Rand Locke & Clarke (1927) 366, I wish you would have some care of *book-buyers as well as all of booksellers. 1838Dickens Let. 16 Nov. (1965) I. 455 Not book-buyers I am sorry to say. 1862Burton Bk.-hunter i. 47 Book-buyers among whom his great critical works are forgotten.
1832Mill in Tait's Edin. Mag. II. 343 The wisdom of the *book-buying public. 1853in N. & Q. (1962) CCVII. 84/2 Free Trade has been also a great hinderance to my bookbuying.
1862Burton Bk.-hunter i. 59 The freaks of *book-collecting.
1791–1824D'Israeli Cur. Lit. (1839) III. 342 The most magnificent of *book-collectors, the Duke de la Vallière.
1863Holme Lee A. Warleigh II. 311 Alice paused with a slender pearl *book-cutter in her hand.
1876Geo. Eliot Dan. Der. IV. lviii. 172 The *book-devouring Isabel.
1810Irish Mag. Mar. 127/1 The valuable collection made by this *book-fancier. 1862Burton Bk.-hunter i. 69 The curious blunder which made one of them worth the notice of the book-fanciers.
1870Emerson Soc. & Solit. viii. 168 The annals of bibliography afford many examples of the delirious extent to which *book-fancying can go.
1791–1824D'Israeli Cur. Lit. (1839) III. 342 To what hard hunting these *book-hunters voluntarily doom themselves. 1862Burton (title) The Book-hunter.
1863Grosart Small Sins 78 A book-worm—the pest of *book-lovers—has pierced..right through it.
1711Shaftesbury Charac. (1737) III. 15 *Book-merchants..undoubtedly receive no small advantage from a right improvement of a learned scuffle.
1805Wordsworth Prelude iii. 395 Antiquity and stedfast truth And strong *book-mindedness. 1903J. Morley Life of Gladstone I. ii. ii. 117 His bookmindedness is unabated.
1662Fuller Worthies iii. 168 He was a great *Book-monger.
1868W. James Let. 24 May in R. B. Perry Thought & Char. W. J. (1935) I. 277, I have written a few *book notices lately. 1938Times Lit. Suppl. 17 Sept. 591/1 The majority of the book-notices..were unpaid until the 'fifties.
c1500Cocke Lorelles B. (1843) 9 *Boke prynters, peynters, bowers.
1863J. G. Nichols Herald & Geneal. II. 158 Our historical *book-printing societies.
1606W. Crashaw Rom. Forg. I. 147 Instructions, giuen by the Pope..to all *Booke-purgers.
1832Times 6 Jan. [3]/3 To be sure, the *book-reading lovers of antiquity would cry ‘horrible’. 1910A. Bennett Clayhanger iii. i. 325 A new series of sixpenny reprints which had considerably excited the book-selling and book-reading worlds.
1861A. J. Graham Phonographic Odds & Ends 71 (heading) *Book-Review. 1904W. James Mem. & Stud. (1911) iv. 66 His contributions to literature were all anonymous, book-reviews chiefly. 1965Times Lit. Suppl. 25 Nov. 1035/2 The President could not have read all those..book-reviews he was said to.
1898Beerbohm in Variety of Things (1928) 224 Even the *book-reviewers could no longer assert that he did not know how to draw.
1873H. James Let. 31 May in R. B. Perry Thought & Char. W. J. (1935) I. 348, I am struggling through long delay to get at something better than *book reviewing. 1956N. & Q. CCI. 190/2 Here is the true dawn of book-reviewing in England.
1904A. Bennett Let. 26 Nov. (1966) I. 58 You have also the six short stories, & the *book rights on these. 1915J. Joyce Let. 1 Apr. (1966) II. 338 That [agreement] for my novel should be conditional on Mr Grant Richards' refusal of the book rights.
1701H. Wanley in Phil. Trans. XXV. 1998 The Librarii or *Book-writers were..a particular company of men, and their Business a Trade.
Ibid. *Book-writing was their profession. 1820Scott Monast. Introd. 32 The irritabile genus comprehends the bookselling as well as the book-writing species.
c. instrumental, as book-fed, book-filled, book-formed, book-lined, book-sworn, book-taught, book-walled, etc., adjs.
1932V. Woolf Let. to Young Poet 24 As if they had neither ears nor eyes..but only honest enterprising *book-fed brains.
1965F. Sargeson Memoirs of Peon ii. 32 The back *book-filled room.
a1851J. Baillie (Ogilvie), Every table-wit and *book-formed sage.
1897Daily News 18 June 8/4 Warm and cosy, with *book-lined walls. 1947Auden Age of Anxiety (1948) iii. 75 But in book-lined rooms at the back Committees meet.
1558Inv. A. Nycholson, Kendal (Somerset Ho.), Bodely *Buke sworne.
1642Cudworth Serm. 1 John ii. 3 (1676) 40 Not he that is only *book-taught but he that is God-taught. 1760Goldsm. Cit. W. II. lxvii, Our *book-taught philosopher.
1904W. de la Mare Henry Brocken i. 2 Half my youthful days passed in that low, *book-walled chamber.
19. Special comb.: book account U.S., a statement of accounts recorded in a book; book agent U.S., one who promotes the sale of books; † book-answerer, a critic; book-bearer, one who carries a book, also a prompter (obs.), = book-holder; book-board, a book-shelf in a pew, pulpit, etc.; book-bosomed a., (used by Scott for) having a book in the bosom; book-bound a., set round with books; book-boy, a boy employed to fetch books for readers in a library; book-burning, the destruction of writings regarded as harmful or subversive; so book-burner; book canvasser, one who canvasses schools, public offices, etc., for the sale of books, esp. on the subscription system; book-cloth, a cloth manufactured for the bindings of books; book-club, (a) a subscription library, also a club in which the subscriptions are expended in the purchase or borrowing of books for the common use of the members; (b) a society which produces books for its members, such as the Warton Club, the Roxburghe Club, the First Edition Club; book concern U.S., an establishment engaged in the printing and sale of books; book-crab = book-scorpion; book-credit, an amount credited to a person's account in a ledger; book-debt, an amount debited to a person's account in a ledger, a debt owing to a tradesman as recorded in his account-books; book-edge gilder, marbler, a bookbinder's workman who gilds or marbles the edges of books; book end, one of a pair of (ornamental) book props (see below), used to keep a row of unshelved books in an upright position; booketeria |ˌbʊkəˈtɪərɪə| U.S. [after cafeteria], a self-service book-store or library; book-farmer, one who farms with knowledge acquired from books; so book-farming; book-folder, (a) a printer's, bookbinder's, or stationer's employee who folds the paper sheets into page-size; (b) the paper wrapper of a newly published book; book-form, in advb. phrase in book form (see sense 17); also attrib.; book-ghoul (see quot.); book-gill = gill-book (s.v. gill n.1 5 b); book hand, the hand or writing used by the official transcribers of books before the invention of printing; book-holder, one who or that which holds a book, † spec. a theatrical prompter, = book-bearer; † book-house, a library; book-hunt v. intr., to follow the pursuit of a book-hunter or searcher of old and rare volumes; book-label, a label bearing the title and author's name, the owner's name, etc., affixed to the cover of a book; book-law, written law; † book-leiger, one who confines his study to book-learning (cf. leiger); book-length attrib., of the length of a book; book-louse, a minute neuropterous insect (Psocus pulsatorius) destructive to books; book-lung, the lamellate respiratory organs of a scorpion; book-mark, a mark or label placed in or upon a book to indicate ownership; also a piece of ribbon, paper, etc., inserted between the leaves of a book to mark a place; in this sense often called a book-marker; book match, one of a set of tear-off matches, sold in packets hinged at one end like a book (cf. sense 3 d above); book-mate, school-fellow, fellow-student; † book-matter, a matter the adequate treatment of which would fill a book; book mite (see quot.); bookmobile |ˈbʊkməˌbiːl| U.S. [after automobile n.], see quot. 1941; † book-money, surplice-fees; book-muslin, a fine kind of muslin owing its name to the book-like manner in which it is folded when sold in the piece, also ellipt. a dress made of such muslin; book name, a name of a plant or animal, other than the scientific name, used only in books; also transf.; book-number, ‘in library-cataloguing, a particular number (or a number and a letter) designating the book in its proper sequence in the smallest division to which it belongs’ (Cent. Dict. Suppl. 1909); book-oath, an oath sworn on the ‘book’; book-packet, a packet which may be sent through the book-post; book-page, (a) a page of a book; (b) in a newspaper or journal: a page that is devoted to reviews and notices of books; book piles, a type of book-plate in which piles of books are used as the design; book pocket (see quot. 1955); book-post, the system and regulations under which books and printed matter may be sent through the post-office; book-postage, the price charged for carriage by book-post; also book-rate; book-press, a book-case; book prop, support, an angular support for the end of a row of books, esp. in a partly-filled shelf; book-scorpion, an arachnid insect (Chelifer cancroides) resembling a scorpion, often found in old books; book-shy a., reluctant or unwilling to read books; book-slide, an expanding holder or stand for books; book-society = book-club (a); also (in modern use) = book-club (b); book-stack, see stack n.; book-stamp, a stamp for embossing the covers of books; book-stand, a stand or case for books; book-table, a table intended solely or mainly for books; book token, a voucher exchangeable at a bookseller's for a book or books; book-tray, a tray for carrying books; book-trough (see quot. 1961); book type (see quot.); book value Book-keeping, the value of a commodity as shown by a firm's books, as distinguished from its market value; book-work, (a) work at books, study of text-books; (b) the printing of books or similar matter, as opposed to job-work (job n.2 1 c); book-world, the world of literature; the affairs of life as described in literature; book-wright, a maker or author of books. Also book-binder, -case, -craft, -fell, -keeper, etc.
1672Mass. Col. Laws (1887) 39 Inconveniences..through want of seasonable examination..of *Book accompts. 1741New Hamp. Probate Rec. III. 86 My book accompt standing against James Ried. 1883C. F. Wilder Sister Ridnour 232 The treasurer..keeps a correct book-account of all moneys taken and expended.
1830Williams's N.-Y. Ann. Reg. 1830 299 John Emory and Beverly Waugh, *Book Agents, New-York. 1886Harper's Mag. Dec. 162/1 They may both be glad to invoke the aid of the despised book agent, who carries literature from door to door. 1910Mulford Hopalong Cassidy vii. 50 Was you ever an auctioneer..or a book agent?
1760Goldsm. Cit. W. xiii. (1837) 48 If he has much money, he may buy reputation from your *book-answerers.
1530Palsgr. 199/2 *Boke bearer in a ploye, prothocolle. 1636Prynne Unbish. Tim. (1661) 7 Timothy..being so much at Pauls beck, as to be..his Cloack-carrier, and Book-bearer.
1847C. M. Yonge Scenes & Characters ix. 110 She put her arm on the *book board, while rising from kneeling. 1861Ramsay Remin. ii. (ed. 18) 42 A nail on the seat or book-board.
1805Scott Last Minstr. iii. viii, A *book-bosom'd priest.
1863J. C. Jeaffreson Sir Everard's D. xiii. 224 His little *book-bound parlour.
1903Daily Chron. 13 Feb. 5/1 His first situation was as *book-boy in the library of the Bristol Law Society.
1899Book-Lover 86/2 The virtuous Romans appear to have been greater *book-burners than the Greeks. 1951I. Shaw Troubled Air xxii. 389 The censors and book-burners.
1892J. A. Farrer Books condemned to be Burnt 170 The custom of *book-burning, never formally abolished, died out at last from a gradual decline of public belief in its efficacy. 1954Ann. Reg. 1953 169 The destruction of many of these [Communist] books provoked a general outcry against ‘book-burning’.
1848Philadelphia Almanac 2 (Advt.), *Book canvassers and agents wanted. 1921Dict. Occup. Terms (1927) §774 Book canvasser, canvasses schools, public offices, etc., for sale of technical or other books on subscription system.
1891Pall Mall Gaz. 30 Nov. 7/1 Makers of *book-cloth.
1792A. Young Trav. France 90 A chamber de lecture, or what we should call a *book-club, that does not divide its books, but forms a library. 1804W. Taylor in Robberds Mem. I. 485 People..wait till it comes to the library or the book-club. 1905Times 20 Sept. 5/5 The privileges of The Times Book Club are offered to those only who subscribe to The Times for a year. 1929H. Williams (title) Book Clubs and Printing Societies of Great Britain and Ireland..published by the First Edition Club. Ibid. 7 The prototype of the book club, the Roxburghe. 1937V. Gollancz in ‘G. Orwell’ Road to Wigan Pier p. xi, The three selectors of the Left Book Club Choices. 1968Listener 6 June 725/3 There are plenty of people who belong to book clubs but otherwise buy almost no books.
1786F. Asbury Jrnl. 26 Apr. (1852) I. 511 Arrived in Baltimore, and was occupied..in collecting money for the books, and inspecting the accounts of the *Book-Concern. 1872Congress. Globe May 3909/3 Every book published by the Methodist Book Concern..is published on sized paper.
1835Kirby Hab. & Inst. Anim. II. xvi. 90 In the scorpion and the *book-crab..the mandibles..have a moveable joint.
1844Mill in Westm. Rev. XLI. 592 In almost all other transactions between dealers, bank notes are already superseded by cheques, or *book credits. 1863Fawcett Pol. Econ. ii. x. (1876) 261 Tradesmen fail in business, in consequence of their money becoming locked up in book-credits.
1689Lond. Gaz. No. 2480/4 The Creditors..are desired to bring in an Account of their several Debts, whether on Judgements, Bond, or *Book-Debts. 1809R. Langford Introd. Trade 12 Book Debts, if not legally demanded within the space of six years, cannot be recovered by law.
1858Simmonds Dict. Trade, *Book and card-edge gilder and marbler, a workman who ornaments and finishes off the edges of books, etc. 1898Daily Chron. 24 Sept. 10/6 Book-edge gilders wanted. 1921Dict. Occup. Terms (1927) §548 Book-edge marbler.
1907Yesterday's Shopping (1969) 368/3 *Book ends. Mahogany, inlaid Marqueterie, heavily weighted, for keeping books in position, pair 23/0. 1932E. Bowen To North xxi. 228 ‘What did she sell?’..‘Oh, paraphernalia—lampshades, book-ends.’ 1961Lebende Sprachen VI. 39/2 Book ends, die bücher⁓stützen.
1945in Amer. Speech (1946) XXI. 66/2 Pasadena Junior College has a *booketeria. 1947Ibid. XXII. 306/1 The first Booketeria..is located in a popular grocery... Borrowers choose their own reading matter. They select and charge books and the store cashiers record the charges.
1825Loudon Encycl. Agric. iv. 1133/1 *Book farmers..are those who know agriculture only by reading about it. 1920R. Frost Let. 21 Mar. (1964) 102 ‘Amatoor!’ all the leaves began to murmur. ‘Book-farmer!’
1823R. B. Thomas Farmer's Almanack 1824 18–24 Dec., Be not stubborn and unreasonable in your prejudices against what is called *book-farming. 1923D. H. Lawrence Stud. Classic Amer. Lit. viii. 154 And that's why the idealists left off brook-farming, and took to book-farming.
1872C. L. Brace Dangerous Classes N.Y. 166 She went to be a *book-folder downtown. 1903Daily Chron. 24 Feb. 8/5 (Advt.), Book⁓folder. Apply..Printing Dept. 1925Public Opinion 5 June 538/3 Blurbs, those interesting little paragraphs which appeared on bookfolders.
1849Rossetti Let. 18 Oct. (1965) I. 82 They will be bound..that they may go in the *book-form. 1856Chambers's Jrnl. V. 322/2 M. Dumas had previously published it in the book-form. 1893Photogr. Ann. 333 A light camera, with..book-form double dark slides. 1902‘Monkshood’ & Gamble Kipling 161 This story passed from ‘Lippincott's Magazine’ to the pomp and pride of a book-form Edition. 1964P. F. Anson Bishops at Large vi. 196 They appeared in book-form in 1913.
1881A. Lang Library 56 The *Book-Ghoul is he who combines the larceny of the biblioklept with the abominable wickedness of breaking up and mutilating the volumes from which he steals.
1897Parker & Haswell Textbk. Zool. I. xi. 621 External appendages or gills (*book-gills).
1885Encycl. Brit. XVIII. 143/2 Down to the time of the introduction of printing, writing ran in two lines—the set *book-hand and the cursive. 1893E. M. Thompson Handbk. Gk. & Lat. Palaeogr. xix. 301 We find it convenient to treat the cursive or charter hand as a separate branch of mediaeval English writing apart from the literary or book hand. 1928Daily Tel. 19 July 15/5 A fifteenth century English manuscript..with others written in a vernacular book-hand.
1585Higins Junius' Nomenclator 501 (Halliw.) He that telleth the players their part when they are out and have forgotten, the prompter or *booke⁓holder.
1880Lang XXII Ballades in Blue China 23 He *book-hunts, though December freeze.
a1000ælfric Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 185 Librarium, *bochus. 1340Ayenb., This boc is dan Michelis of Northgate, ywrite in..the bochouse of Saynt Austines of Canterbury. 1675Marvell Corr. ccxlix. Wks. 1872–5 II. 466 A new Popish test for Book-Houses.
1905Daily Chron. 19 Dec. 6/2 An interesting copy of the works of Horace, having John Kemble's leather *book-label on both covers.
1837Carlyle Fr. Rev. II. vi. vi. 357 A court of Law, not *Book-Law but primeval Club-Law.
1672T. Venn Mil. & Marit. Discip. xxii. 169 What can such who are mere *Book-leidgers do?
1938Times Lit. Suppl. 3 Dec. vi/2 His new work is a *book-length lyric in prose. 1953Encounter Nov. 49/1 Vigolo..has prefaced his edition with a book-length essay.
1867Amer. Naturalist I. 312 The little wingless *book-louse (Atropos) scampering irreverently over the musty pages of his Systema Naturae.
1897Parker & Haswell Zool. I. 604 The organs of respiration are sometimes tracheæ, similar to those of Insects, sometimes *book-lungs or sacs containing numerous book-leaf-like plates.
1862Geo. Eliot Let. 24 Dec. in J. W. Cross Life (1886) II. 295, I have been discontented with the Coventry *book⁓marks. 1880J. L. Warren Book-plates ii. 14 Insigne librorum..means simply the book-mark. 1883Harper's Mag. Oct. 806/1 He would..insert a book-mark at the page he had last finished.
1838C. M. Yonge Let. 6 Aug. in C. Coleridge C. M. Yonge (1903) iv. 135 Your W.H.W.B.W. *bookmarker. 1858Brit. Postal Guide 39 Together with Bookmarkers..or other articles usually appertaining to any such Book.
1939E. August Black-Out Book 30/1 Hold two ‘*book’ matches side by side between your finger and thumb.
1588Shakes. L.L.L. iv. i. 102 The Prince and his *Booke-mates.
1548Hooper Ten Commandm. iv, There be many other causes..it were a *book-matter to rehearse them.
1883Encycl. Brit. XVI. 528/2 Cheyletidæ, the so-called *book mites,..quite unconnected with books.
1937Amer. Speech XII. 30 State newspapers of Friday, September 4, 1936, made announcement that the Nebraska public library commission had purchased a half-ton panel truck to be used as a *bookmobile. 1941Ibid. XVI. 311/1 A bookmobile is an automobile fitted with shelves and other necessary equipment for serving rural districts and patrons who cannot visit a library. 1969Telegraph (Brisbane) 30 May 4/1 This year the long-awaited bookmobile service would serve some outlying areas.
1692Sprat Relat. Young's Contriv. in Harl. Misc. VI. 219 (D.) He had all the *book-money, that is, the fees for marriages, burials, and christenings.
1759Newport Mercury 10 Apr. 4/2 *Book Muslin, Cambricks, silk Ferrets. c1793Jane Austen Volume the First (1954) 72 She lies wrapped in a book muslin bedgown. 1836Scenes Comm. by Land & S. 214 Book muslin..is the clearest and finest of all the muslins. 1839Dickens Nich. Nick. xiv, A low book-muslin dress and short kid gloves. 188419th Cent. Mar. 406 Think of a widow insisting on being provided with a book muslin.
1878Britten & Holland Dict. Eng. Plant-n., Aconite, a common *book-name for Aconitum Napellus. 1885Lisbon (Dakota) Star 27 Mar. 5 A Chinaman..gets a book-name when he goes to school.
1530Palsgr. 199/2 *Boke othe, jvrement de droict. 1575J. Still Gamm. Gurton iv. ii, Else ich durst take a book-oath..My gammer had been slain. a1613Overbury A Wife, &c. (1638) 174 Should he be brought upon his Book-oath.
1886Post Office Guide 3 A *book-packet may contain any number of separate books.
1930Wyndham Lewis Lett. (1963) 197 The literary editors of the London *book-pages. 1932N. & Q. CLXII. 84/1 In recent years the same thing was done with photostat prints, in copying book-pages. 1969Daily Tel. 11 Aug. 18 Book page turners for people who have lost the use of their hands.
1902Encycl. Brit. XXVI. 305/1 ‘*Book-piles’, exemplified by the ex-libris of W. Hewer (Samuel Pepys's secretary).
1922Joyce Ulysses 430 Bloom pats with parcelled hands..*bookpocket. 1955J. E. Liberty Pract. Tailoring v. 64 The Hare Pocket..is like a long welt pocket and is sometimes called a book pocket. It is made in the lining, with the welt 1½ in. wide, lined with linen, and with a hole and button.
1861Rossetti Let. 18 Jan. (1965) II. 389, I will send it you by *book-post. 1868Geo. Eliot Let. 31 Mar. (1955) IV. 426, I send by book post all the printed sheets of the poem. 1870M. Bridgman R. Lynne II. x. 208 The..fool..sent..a bundle of tracts by the book-post.
1858Brit. Postal Guide 9 A packet..is forwarded, charged with the deficient *book-postage.
1611Cotgr., Armoire..cupboord; box; little *booke-presse.
1934H. G. Wells Exper. Autobiogr. I. v. 286 Like so many people who have had the benefit of a simple English education she was *book-shy. 1941V. Woolf Between Acts 26 Book-shy she was..and gun-shy too.
1812Southey Ess. (1832) I. 150 Not subjects to be sent into circulating libraries and *book-societies. 1929Times 27 May 12/2 The Book Society's choice for May is Valentin Kataev's ‘The Embezzlers’. 1938Times 5 Jan. 12/3 He was not conscious of any bad effect on his own business of book clubs and book societies. 1967E. Grierson Crime of One's Own i. 16 ‘Sold over five thousand and a Book Society Recommend,’ its creator declared with pride.
1900Library Jrnl. Nov. 679/2 Convenient elevators for passengers and freight are provided in the *book-stacks. 1968Bodl. Libr. Rec. VIII. 60 Mobile shelving in the bookstack.
1893Funk's Standard Dict., *Bookstamp. 1909C. Davenport (title) English Heraldic Bookstamps.
1807W. Scott Let. 13 Jan. (1932) I. 346 The great genius who invented the gilded inlaid or Japan *bookstands for boudoirs & drawing rooms. 1891Kipling Light that Failed xiv. 303 A bookstand that supported a pile of sketch-books.
1895G. Stikeman Adjustable Book Shelving 4 *Book supports, for partially filled shelves.
1829M. Hare Let. 12 Sept. in A. J. C. Hare Mem. Quiet Life (1872) I. vi. 275, I ordered a *book table according to my own fancy, having two shelves above, a bureau part, and shelves below, with a cupboard at each end. 1905Daily Chron. 23 May 4/6 A lovely inlaid book-table.
1932Book Tokens (Nat. Book Council) 5 In order to give readers some idea of the appearance of the *Book Token this leaflet has been made similar in size and format. 1938Times 5 Jan. 12/3 They had a 7s. 6d. book token which they exchanged for one 5s. book and five 6d. books.
1875T. Seaton Fret Cutting iv. 42 It is a *book-tray end; the full size is six inches by five. 1916E. F. Benson David Blaize vii. 132, I love looking through old book-trays.
1907Yesterday's Shopping (1969) 131/1 *Book Troughs..Fumed oak, length 16 in.{ddd}with repoussé plates..4/3. 1929E. Bowen Last Sept. i. ii. 17 She glanced intently along the books in the book-trough. 1961T. Landau Encycl. Librarianship (ed. 2) 52/1 Book trough, a V-shaped wooden shelf or rack placed on library tables for the display of books in such a manner that the titles are clearly visible.
1888Encycl. Brit. XXIII. 699/1 Types are divided into two classes—*book type, including Roman and Italic, and job type.
1899Westm. Gaz. 14 June 6/1 Eight years ago the *book value of the Stella was {pstlg}60,000. 1952Economist 6 Sept. 575 The five main companies have fixed assets totalling more than {pstlg}6 million in book value, but worth probably four times that at replacement values.
1848Clough Bothie viii. 72 He'll think me..Neither better nor worse for my gentlemanship and *bookwork. 1881Fitch Lect. Teaching 150 Book-work for lessons has obvious advantages. 1889Cent. Dict., Book-work. 1926W. H. Slater What a Compositor should Know iii. 1 The work of the composing department..is divided roughly into two sections: ‘Bookwork’ and ‘Jobwork’.
1858Bagehot Coll. Wks. (1965) I. 332 In the *book-world they [sc. the Liberal party] enjoyed a domination. 1906Daily Chron. 7 May 3/5 The book-world, which is the edited reflection of life, brings the great facts of contrast into added prominence.
1841D'Israeli Amen. Lit. (1867) 88 An unskilful compilation..made by..a noted *book-wright in the reign of Elizabeth.
20. Combinations of the type common-place-book, Domesday Book, pass-book, pocket-book, statute-book will be found under their first element.
▸ Chiefly U.S.off the books: without proper documentation or registration, so as to evade taxes or regulations; (attrib.) not declared for tax or accounting purposes; unacknowledged, unofficial, illicit.
1974N.Y. Times 27 June 50/8 Welfare clients, working ‘off the books’—or unregistered employes [sic]—had worked illegally for Yellow Cab. 1980E. Ginzberg Employing Unemployed xi. 191 A related problem in the work-income arena is posed by the increasing amount of income that people earn from off-the-books, illicit and illegal sources. 2001R. Russo Empire Falls (2002) 35 It's against the law... Mrs. Whiting would have a cow if she thought I was doing anything off the books. 2004U.S. News & World Rep. 21 June 66/1 Taguba wrongly blamed the brigade for holding off-the-books ‘ghost’ prisoners.
▪ II. book, v.|bʊk|
Forms: 1 bócian, 3–4 boke(n, 4–7 booke, 4– book.
[OE. bócian, corresp. to OFris. bôkia, ON. bóka: from the n.: see prec.]
†1. trans. To grant or assign (land) by charter: see book n. 1. Obs. (exc. Hist.)
966in Cod. Dipl. 531 Oswald biscop bocaþ Wihthelme his þeᵹne. 1844Lingard Anglo-Sax. Ch. (1858) I. App. 374 Ethelwulf, king of Wessex, books the lands of twenty families, not to a subject, but to himself. 1876Digby Real Prop. i. 12 Land thus granted was said to be ‘booked’ to the grantee, and was called bocland or bookland.
2. a. To enter in a book; to record, register.
a1225Ancr. R. 158 Þauh þe engel Gabriel hefde his burde ibocked. 1393Gower Conf. I. 3 Some newe thing I shulde boke. 1594Nashe Unfort. Trav. 9, I haue done a thousand better iests, if they had been bookt. 1610Holland Camden's Brit. i. 4 The Bardi..thought it not lawfull to write and booke anything. 1710Lond. Gaz. No. 4677/4 They..saw him [a horse] book'd in the Market Book. 1854Hooker Himal. Jrnls. I. x. 247 To seize and book every object worth noticing. 1883Manch. Exam. 26 Nov. 4/2 Not eager to book fresh orders.
b. fig.
1575Sir N. Breton in Farr S.P. (1845) i, How in your heart you may for euer booke it. a1656Bp. Hall Rem. Wks. (1660) 183 The Almighty..books their number for an everlasting remembrance.
c. To make an entry of or against a person's name; esp. to enter (a name) in a police register for an alleged offence; see also quot. 1846.
1841Fistiana 58 The names of individuals of distinction were ‘booked’ for indictment, should the prosecution of the principal..end in a conviction. 1846Snowden Magistrate's Assistant 344 Caught, taken, or disposed of: booked. 1902Wodehouse Pothunters iii. 49 If he books a chap out of bounds it keeps him happy for a week. 1935Steinbeck Tortilla Flat viii. 122 The police sergeant said he hadn't booked them for a long time. 1961P. Barry Unwillingly to School xv. 204 If you hadn't been a learner driver..I'd have booked you for that!
d. To put (tackle) in a fishing-book.
1892Field 18 June 922/3 We therefore book our cast, and wind up for the day.
3. a. To enter in a list, to enrol, enlist.
1548Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Acts v. 14 Which had not yet..booked themselues as souldiers. 1607Hieron Wks. I. 284 Enrouled and booked among Christians. 1612J. Davies Why Ireland, &c. (1787) 176 He caused the marchers to book their men.
b. To enter (the arrival or departure of an employee, hotel guest, etc.) in a book; so to book in, book out. Also intr. to book off, to sign an attendance book on going off duty.
1902Daily Chron. 13 May 10/5 Baker's..Bookkeeper.—Young lady required, with good experience, to book men and keep books. Ibid., Wanted young lady,..one able to book in. Ibid., Shopwoman wanted, capable of booking out men. 1928Observer 3 Feb. 12/7 To-night he drives his engine for the last time. To-morrow he ‘books off’..and the Line knows him no more. 1958Spectator 22 Aug. 251/1 Booking in immediately before the flight. 1958Times 3 Sept. 13/4 O'Brien-Greer booked in at the hotel on August 20.
4. a. To engage for oneself by payment (a seat or place in a travelling conveyance or in a theatre or other place of entertainment). Also absol.
1826Disraeli Viv. Grey iii. iv. 99, I will give them orders to book an inside place for the poodle. 1837Dickens Pickw. xxxv, Sam Weller booked for them all. 1878F. Williams Midl. Railw. 628 When railways were first opened for passenger traffic..the traveller had to give his name..his seat was ‘booked’. a1887Theatrical Advt. Seats can be booked one month in advance.
b. To enter (the name of a passenger, etc.) for a seat or place; to issue railway tickets to; refl. to obtain a railway ticket for oneself. Also intr. to book through: to obtain a ticket to cover a whole journey.
1841Marryat Poacher xli, He booked himself for the following day's coach. 1844Dickens Mart. Chuz. li. 592 The other [man], seating himself on the steps of the coach, remained in conversation with Slyme... ‘He's booked,’ observed the man. ‘Through,’ said Slyme. 1858Penny Cycl. 2nd Suppl. 565/2 A man may now ‘book through’ from London to so many continental cities. 1859Jephson Brittany ii. 8, I booked myself at the Waterloo Station for Jersey. 1884Gt. West. Railw. Time Table July 53 Passengers are booked through from Warwick.
c. To enter and pay for the transmission of (goods, etc.) by any conveyance.
1807Lamb Let. 29 Jan. (1868) I. 251 Dear Wordsworth—We have book'd off from Swan and Two Necks, Lad Lane, this day (per coach) the Tales from Shakspear. 1829Lamb in Select. Bernard Barton (1849) 139 The parcel is booked for you this 25th March. 1849De Quincey Eng. Mail Coach Wks. IV. 297 [It was] not in the way⁓bill and therefore could not have been booked. 1885Law Times LXXX. 45/1 His drover..booked them [cattle] to the Nantwich station.
5. transf. To engage (a person) as a guest or the like. Also with up. colloq. Cf. booked 3.
1872Proc. Amer. Philol. Soc. 18 It seems singular to the American to hear an Englishman speak of ‘booking’ his friend for dinner. a1887Mod. I shall book you for that evening. 1906Daily Chron. 20 Oct. 7/2 The defendant..wrote: ‘Thanks for calling. I am pleased to book you for four—or it may be five Sundays.’..Mr. ―..said he was engaged at {pstlg}2. 2. 0 a day. 1923Wodehouse Inimit. Jeeves iii. 35 Before I went I had been booked up to take brother and the girl for a nice drive that afternoon.
Add:[2.] e. Assoc. Football. Of a referee: to record the name of (a player cautioned for a serious infringement of the rules); hence, to administer such a caution.
1959Daily Mirror 29 Dec. 15/1 Two minutes later Hooper..was booked for fouling goalkeeper Noel Dwyer. 1972G. Green Great Moments in Sport: Soccer ix. 92 With 25 minutes left Hutchinson was booked. 1986Times 19 June 46/1 The decision by..the..referee to book William Ayache, a defender, with a second yellow card—which puts him out of the quarter-final—was absurd.
▪ III. book
obs. pa. tense of bake; obs. f. buck, bulk. |