by the book

prep_phrase

Definitions

  1. In a manner which strictly adheres to rules, legal requirements, or official procedures.

    • As far as he is concerned, he umpired by the book.
  2. In a manner which appears too studied, ritualized, and therefore artificial.

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

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for by the book. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA