by the book

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Nothing’s ever perfect, and anything can be improved on. And what we’ve been working on is making this operation safer, more efficient, by the book.”

From Los Angeles Times

But if you do this, you must do it right—professionally, with restraint, by the book, in the full spirit of the law.

From The Wall Street Journal

“I’m afraid so. We need to do this by the book. I only have permission to check you out for the day. But Este is back. I talked to her this morning. She said if you want to do this, we will get you out of there as fast as we possibly can.”

From Literature

“Your education at the Ranch wasn’t exactly…normal. We didn’t keep records or do anything by the book, so to speak. Or at least the way the state government wanted things to be run. The laws in New York are strict about how a child should be educated at home. So if we told the truth, not only could I get in trouble, but every adult at the Ranch could, too.”

From Literature

Tergit’s spare, clear, lightly ironic prose is ably captured by the book’s translator, Sophie Duvernoy.

From The Wall Street Journal