Synonyms for go by the book at with free online thesaurus, antonyms, and definitions. It refers to completing a task according to the rules or without cutting any corners to save time. Everyone knows the details of marias personal life shes an open book. Edgar allan poe was writing of the card game whist when he said, to have a retentive memory, and to proceed by the book, are points commonly regarded as the sum total of good playing. The expression means following the rules that apply in a situation exactly, without allowing exceptions, latitude or special cases. Going by what tim said, we should be there by midafternoon. Freedom of expression is under attack at our universities. In this video, i will teach you four easy ways to talk about the future. This is the british english definition of by the book. An outstanding or unusual achievement or event, as in all of the main awards went to one picturethats one for the books. Book in this expression is a set of established rules or, originally, of moral or religious precepts. He will do, he will go by the book, he will go by the precedence. Be on the books meaning in the cambridge english dictionary. By the book phrase definition and synonyms macmillan.
In his new book university commons divided, former university of saskatchewan president peter mackinnon examines the attack on freedom of. A similar expression is saying that you can read someone like a book that means you know the person extremely well and can perceive their feelings and thoughts. Change your default dictionary to american english. Edgar allan poe was writing of the card game whist when he said, to have a retentive memory, and to proceed by the book, are points commonly regarded as the sum total of good playing the murders in the rue morgue, 1841. Very correctly, in strict accordance with the rules. How many ways do you know to talk about the future in english. Early 1500s for the related go by the board, see by the board. That may be so, as the early meaning of the phrase was i swear it to be true, as in the oaths taken in courtrooms. Ignore, fail to notice or take advantage of, as in you shouldnt let this opportunity go by. Expression definition is an act, process, or instance of representing in a medium such as words.
The earliest citation i can find is from the mid19th century in edgar allan poes murders in rue morgue, 1845. Go by the bookdo sth by the book definition in the. By the book phrase meaning, pronunciation and more by macmillan. There are two widely accepted theories for the origin of this phrase. The most successful officers are not those who always go by the book but use their initiative. The phrase by the book is an english idiom, or saying, that means to do something in the correct or proper manner. Elapse, pass, as in the popular song, as time goes by by herman hupfeld, 1931, or he just went by our house. But book is a very useful word and is common to many expressions and idioms. This expression originally alluded to record books kept for sports but soon was applied to other endeavors.