Book

book, n. a collection of sheets of paper bound together, either printed, written on, or blank: a literary composition: a division of a volume or subject: the Bible: a betting-book, or record of bets made with different people: ( fig. ) any source of instruction: the libretto of an opera, .: ( pl. ) formal accounts of transactions, as minutes of meetings, records kept of his busine by a merchant.— v.t. to write in a book.— ns. Book′-account′ , an account of debt or credit in a book; Book′binder , one who binds books; Book′binding , the art or practice of binding or putting the boards on books; Book′-case , a case with shelves for books; Book′-club , an a ociation of persons who buy new books for circulation among themselves; Book′-debt , a debt for articles charged by the seller in his book-account.— adj. Book′ful , full of information gathered from books.— ns. Book′-hold′er , one who holds the book of the play and prompts the actor in the theatre; Book′-hunt′er , one who rejoices in discovering rare books; Book′ing-of′fice , an office where names are booked or tickets are taken.— adj. Book′ish , fond of books: acquainted only with books.— ns. Book′ishne ; Book′-keep′ing , the art of keeping accounts in a regular and systematic manner; Book′-land , land taken from the folcland or common land, and granted by bóc or written charter to a private owner; Book′-learn′ing , learning got from books, as opposed to practical knowledge.— adj. Book′le , without books, unlearned.— ns. Book′let , a small book; Book′-mak′er , one who makes up books from the writings of others, a compiler: one who makes a system of bets in such a way that the gains must exceed the lo es, entering them in a memorandum book; Book′-mak′ing , the art or practice of compiling books from the writings of others: compilation: systematic betting; Book′-man , a scholar, student; Book′-mark , something placed in a book to mark a particular page or pa age; Book′-mate ( Shak. ), a mate or companion in the study of books: a schoolfellow; Book′-mus′lin , muslin used in bookbinding; Book′-oath ( Shak. ), an oath made on the Book or Bible; Book′plate , a label usually pasted inside the cover of a book, bearing the owner's name, crest, coat-of-arms, or peculiar device; Book′-post , the department in the Post-office for the transmi ion of books; Book′seller , one who sells books; Book′selling ; Book′shelf , a shelf on which books are placed; Book′shop , a shop where books are sold; Book′-stall , a stall or stand, generally in the open air, where books are sold; Book′-stand , a book-stall: a stand or support for holding up a book when reading; Book′-trade , the trade of dealing in books; Book′worm , a worm or mite that eats holes in books: a hard reader: one who reads without discrimination or profit.— To be upon the books , to have one's name in an official list; To bring to book , to bring to account; To take a leaf out of another's book , to follow the example of some one; To talk like a book , to talk pedantically, or in a preternaturally well-informed manner. [A.S. bóc , a book, the beech; Ger. buche , the beech, buch , a book, because the Teutons first wrote on beechen boards.]