book
noun · verb
Simple meaning
A number of sheets bound together on one edge.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
buukIPA pronunciation (US)
ˈbʊk
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
A number of sheets (ticket or stamps etc.) bound together on one edge
“He bought a book of stamps.”
A collection of sheets of paper bound together to hinge at one edge, containing printed or written material, pictures, etc.
A long work fit for publication, typically prose, such as a novel or textbook, and typically published as such a bound collection of sheets, but now sometimes electronically as an e-book.
A major division of a long written composition
A major division of a long work.
usually in the plural
Records of the accounts of a business.
verb
transitive
To add a name to the list of people who are participating in something.
transitive
To reserve (something) for future use.
intransitiveslang
To travel very fast.
intransitiveslang
To move or leave, often hurriedly and abruptly.
transitive
To write down, to register or record in a book or as in a book.
To record bets as bookmaker.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- A1 · Beginner
- Frequency
- Very Common
- Typical Use
- Everyday English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: A number of sheets (ticket or stamps etc.) bound together on one edge
Used this way, book is a common word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“He bought a book of stamps.”
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Usage note
It most often appears in the pattern “book of …”, which is worth copying when you use it.
Nearby words
- record , a specialist term, precise but narrower
Natural pattern: book of …
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use book
- “He bought a book of stamps.”noun
- “They got a subpoena to examine our books.”noun
- “I am reading a good book on economics.”noun
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Inflected forms
Grammatical variations of the same word.
Employment for performers or performing groups that lasts for a limited period of time.
Someone who engages a person or company for performances.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
A manual usually accompanying a technical device and explaining how to install or operate it.
An Old Testament book consisting of Isaiah's prophecies.
A book in the Old Testament containing the oracles of the prophet Jeremiah.
A book in the Old Testament containing Job's pleas to God about his afflictions and God's reply.
An Old Testament book telling Joel's prophecies.
A book in the Old Testament that tells the story of Jonah and the whale.
Related words
Connected by subject or meaning, not by word formation.
A marker (a piece of paper or ribbon) placed between the pages of a book to mark the reader's place.
A shop where books are sold.
A small book usually having a paper cover.
A shop where books are sold.
A shelf on which to keep books.
A piece of furniture with shelves for storing books.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: number of sheets (ticket
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.