booklore (buklor)

Book-learning; knowledge gained from books. book-louse (buk'lous), n. A minute neuropterous insect of the family Psocid a, distinguished by having the tarsi composed of only two or three joints, and the posterior wings smaller than the anterior. Atropus pulsator i us is destitute of wings, and is very destructive to old books, especially in damp places, and to collections of dried plants, etc. book-madne (buk'mad"nes), n. A rage for po e ing books; bibliomania. book-maker (bük'mā kér), n. 11. A printer and binder of books. - 2. One who writes and publishes books; especially, a mere compiler. An outsider whose knowledge of Dai Nippon is derived from our old text-books and cyclopædias, or from non resident book - makers, may be so far dazed as to imagine the Japanese demigods in statecraft, even as the American newspapers make them all princes. W. E. Grifis , in N. A. Rev., CXX. 283. 3. One who makes a book (see book , n ., 9) on a race or other doubtful event; a profe ional betting man. See extract. In betting there are two parties-one called "layers," as the book - makers are termed, and the others "backers," in which cla may be included owners of horses as well as the public. The backer takes the odds which the book maker lays against a horse, the former speculating upon the succe of the animal, the latter upon its defeat; and taking the case of Cremorne for the Derby of 1872, just before the race, the book - maker would have laid 3 to 1, or perhaps £1000 to £300 against him, by which transaction, if the horse won, as he did, the backer would win £1000 for risking £300, and the book - maker lose the £1000 which he risked to win the smaller sum. At first sight this may appear an act of very questionable policy on the part of the book - maker ; but really it is not so; because, so far from running a greater risk than the backer, he runs le , inasmuch as it is his plan to lay the same amount (£1000) against every horse in the race, and as there can be but one winner, he would in all probability receive more than enough money from the many losers to pay the stated sum of £1000 which the chances are he has laid against the one winner, whichever it is. Eng. Encyc. book-making (bük'mā"king), n. 1. The busine of printing and binding books.-2. The writing and publishing of books; the act of compiling books.-3. The act or practice of making a book on a race or other doubtful event. See extract under book - maker , 3. bookman (bük'man), n.; pl. bookmen (-men). [AS. * bōcman in def. 1; bōc , book, charter, arter. + man , man.] 1t. In old Eng . law , one who held bookland.-2. A studious or learned man; a scholar; a student; hence, one who is more familiar with books than with men and things. You two are bookmen : can you tell by your wit What was a month old at Cain's birth that's not five weeks Shak ., L. L. L., iv. 2. old yet? There be some clergymen who are mere book - men. George Eliot, Mill on the Flo , i. 3. book-mark (bük'märk), п. A ribbon or other device placed between the pages of a book, to mark a place where reading is to begin, or to which reference is to be made.