Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - book

~1 n 1 »PRINTED BOOK« a set of printed pages that are fastened together in a cover so that you can read them  (I'm reading a book by Graham Greene. | Nothing beats curling up with a good book.) 2 »BOOK TO WRITE IN« a set of sheets of paper fastened together in a cover so that you can write on them  (a note book | address/exercise etc book (=a book for a particular purpose)) 3 »SET OF THINGS« a set of things such as stamps, matches or tickets, fastened together inside a paper cover 4 books plural a) »ACCOUNTS« written records of the accounts of a business  (Their books show a profit.)  (- see also cook the books cook1 (5)) b) »JOBS« the names of people who use a company's services, or who are sent by a company to work for other people  (on sb's books (=employed by a company or organization))  (informal)  (We have over 100 VDU operators on our books at the moment.) 5 a closed book a subject that you do not understand or know anything about  (Chemistry is a closed book to me.) 6 one for the books informal used to say that something that has happened is unusual or surprising  (Look! Gaynor's buying the drinks. There's one for the books!) 7 be in sb's good/bad books informal used to say that someone is pleased or annoyed with you 8 go by the book/do sth by the book to do something exactly according to rules or instructions  (Tony's the sort of bloke who does everything by the book.) 9 in my book usually spoken used when giving your opinion  (She's all right in my book.) 10 »PART OF A BOOK« one of the parts that a very large book such as the Bible is divided into + of  (the Book of Isaiah) 11 bring sb to book especially BrE to punish someone for breaking laws or rules, especially when you have been trying to punish them for a long time  (Terry was finally brought to book for fiddling the accounts.)  (- see also statute book, take a leaf out of sb's book leaf1 (2), read sb like a book read1 (13), suit sb's book suit2 (5), a turn-up for the book turn-up (2), throw the book at throw1 (27)) ~2 v 1 BrE to arrange with a hotel, restaurant, theatre etc to go there at a particular time in the future  (I've booked a table for two at Mario's tonight. | We need to book well in advance for Christmas. | booked up/fully booked (=no rooms, tables etc available))  (I'm sorry, we're fully booked for the 14th. | booked solid (=all the tickets etc have been sold))  (The show's booked solid for months to come.) 2 to arrange for someone such as a singer to perform on a particular date  (booked up/fully booked (=no time left to do any more performances))  (We're booked up right through the summer season.) 3 when a police officer books someone, they write down their name, address etc because they have done something wrong  (Rebecca's been booked for speeding.) 4 BrE when a football referee1 (1) books a player who has broken the rules, they officially write down the player's name in a book book in/into ~ phr v BrE 1 to arrive at a hotel and say who you are etc  (I'll call you as soon as I've booked in at my hotel.) 2 T book someone in/into) to arrange for someone to stay at a hotel  (Could you book me in at the Hilton for tonight?) book sb on sth ~ phr v to arrange for someone to travel on a particular plane, train etc  (She asked her secretary to book her on the next flight to London.)