View synonyms for by the book

by the book

According to established rules: “The inspector will be visiting the factory today, so let's make sure we do everything by the book.”

Discover More

Idioms and Phrases

Strictly according to the rules, as in Our trip leader is going by the book, allowing us to wander off only for short periods . Shakespeare already used the term figuratively in Romeo and Juliet (1:5): “You kiss by the book.” Also see by the numbers .

Discover More

Example Sentences

"Jannik is a very resilient young man, and in his own mind he knows he's done absolutely nothing wrong and the process has been absolutely by the book. So I think he's very comfortable in himself," Singer told BBC Sport.

From BBC

But it cannot duck the reality that, for as much as everyone involved might insist this case has been handled by the book, it has left some people feeling very uneasy.

From BBC

The couple say they have "always been by the book" with their four children and had never taken any of them out of school for a holiday before last October.

From BBC

“I was really trying to do everything by the book,” he said, flustered.

From Los Angeles Times

"I've done everything by the book this tour living like a monk, it's so unlucky," he wrote on Instagram.

From BBC

Related Words

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Browse