by the book

See also: by-the-book

English

Alternative forms

• by-the-book (attributive)

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Prepositional phrase

by the book

1. (idiomatic) In a manner which strictly adheres to rules, legal requirements, or official procedures.
   • 2006 August 27, Simon Robinson, “It's Not Just Cricket”, in Time:

     As far as he is concerned, he umpired by the book.

2. (idiomatic, by extension) In a manner which appears too studied, ritualized, and therefore artificial.
   • c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene v]:

     Romeo: Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged!
     Give me my sin again.
     They kiss again.
     Juliet: You kiss by th' book.

Translations

in a manner which adheres strictly to rules

Finnish: sääntöjen mukaan French: à la lettre (fr), au pied de la lettre (fr), littéralement (fr), dans les clous (fr) German: vorschriftsmäßig (de), nach Vorschrift Italian: come da manuale Macedonian: прописно (propisno) Mon: နကဵုလိက်ဂှ် Polish: zgodnie z przepisami Russian: по всем правилам (po vsem pravilam), строго по инструкции (strogo po instrukcii) Spanish: a toda ley

See also

• by the numbers
• according to Hoyle
• legalism
• literalism
• proceduralism
• to the letter
• shipshape and Bristol fashion

Further reading

• “by the book”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.